Terror tunnel
Terror tunnelFlash 90

The Hamas terrorist organization denied on Sunday that a tunnel demolished by the IDF leading from Gaza to southern Israel was operational.

"The tunnel that Israel claimed it exposed is an old tunnel that is not in use. It was damaged after the Hamas military wing used it to blow up an IDF post east of Rafah during Operation Protective Edge,” claimed a spokesman for the group’s military wing who was quoted in Israeli media.

The Hamas spokesman further claimed that "the announcement of the discovery of the tunnel is a new deception attempt and an attempt to create the illusion of power and false victories in the eyes of the Israeli public and the international community."

The IDF announced on Sunday that it had thwarted an attempt by Hamas to renew an offensive terror tunnel in the Kerem Shalom area in southern Israel.

“The tunnel was neutralized tonight by an engineering action led by the IDF Southern Command operating within Israeli territory to protect its civilians and sovereignty. The IDF does not wish to escalate the situation, but we stand ready and prepared for a variety of scenarios,” said the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.

“The attempt to renew the terror tunnel shows that Hamas finds it difficult to accept the collapse of the tunnel project and continues to waste the funds desperately needed for the residents of the Gaza Strip. Hamas remains responsible for everything happening in the Gaza Strip. The IDF is vigilant and will continue the effort to locate and thwart terror tunnels wherever and whenever required,” it added.

This marked the fourth time in recent months that the IDF has demolished a terror tunnel leading from Gaza to Israel.

In January, IDF planes demolished a terror tunnel that passed under the Kerem Shalom Crossing and which belonged to Hamas.

A month earlier, the IDF demolished a terror tunnel built in the area of Khan Yunis.

Similarly in October, security forces demolished a long and wide terror tunnel whose entrance was in Khan Yunis.