During a Southern Command activity in southern Rafah, Yahalom Unit and Shayetet 13 forces uncovered the underground tunnel route in which the body of abducted IDF officer, Lieutenant Hadar Goldin, was held captive in recent years. This is one of the most significant and complex underground routes uncovered in the Gaza Strip thus far.
The route extends more than 7 kilometers and is approximately 25 meters deep.
It runs beneath a densely populated residential neighborhood near the Philadelphi Corridor and continues through sensitive civilian areas, including a UNRWA compound, mosques, clinics, kindergartens, and schools.
Inside the tunnel route, approximately 80 hideouts were located, including command rooms used by senior Hamas commanders for storing weapons, prolonged stays, and planning terrorist attacks against IDF troops. Among the senior Hamas commanders who used the tunnel route was the Commander of the Rafah Brigade, terrorist Mohammad Shabaneh.
Troops from the 162nd and Gaza Divisions operated in the area of the underground tunnel route, enabling the activity of the additional troops inside the tunnel route.
