Discovery of Large Tunnel Raises Questions about Israeli Intelligence Failures

The Israeli military recently uncovered a large tunnel shaft in Gaza, near the once-busy Erez crossing into Israel, raising concerns about how Israeli surveillance missed the preparations by Hamas for their October 7 assault. The entrance to the tunnel is a few hundred meters from the heavily fortified Erez crossing and an adjacent Israeli military base. The tunnel, stretching over four kilometers and linking with a broader tunnel network in Gaza, is wide enough for cars to pass through.

The military revealed that the tunnel facilitated the movement of vehicles, militants, and supplies in preparation for the October 7 attack. Hamas militants used a rocket-propelled grenade to breach the wall near the Erez crossing, stormed the Israeli military base, killed at least three soldiers, and kidnapped some back to Gaza. The attack triggered a devastating 10-week war, claiming over 18,000 lives in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military, intelligence, and political officials faced criticism for failing to detect the attack beforehand. The tunnel, now the largest in Gaza, was hidden under a garage, making it challenging for Israeli drones and satellite images to detect. The military plans to destroy the tunnel and continue hunting militants hiding in others, emphasizing the need for rescue efforts for potential hostages within the tunnels.