Hamas’s manual for underground combat provides detailed instructions on how to operate in darkness, move stealthily beneath Gaza, and effectively use automatic weapons in confined spaces. The manual, seized by Israeli forces and reviewed by The New York Times, reveals Hamas’s extensive efforts to build a sophisticated underground military operation long before the current conflict with Israel.
The manual includes precise timing instructions for moving fighters between underground points and emphasizes the importance of fortifying critical areas within the tunnel network. Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar approved significant funding for blast doors to protect the tunnels from airstrikes and ground assaults.
Israeli officials underestimated the extent and sophistication of Hamas’s tunnel network, which has significantly impacted the ongoing conflict. Hamas has adapted its tactics to focus on subterranean battles, using the tunnels to launch attacks, hide from Israeli forces, and detonate explosives remotely.
Experts believe that without the tunnels, Hamas would have struggled against the superior Israeli military. The manual details techniques for camouflaging tunnel entrances, utilizing night-vision goggles, and firing weapons effectively in narrow spaces.
Israel has faced challenges in dismantling the tunnels, with the underground network proving to be more extensive than initially estimated. Hamas continues to use the tunnels for strategic advantages, including communication hubs and command-and-control centers.
Destroying a single tunnel section can take hours and requires significant resources. The Israeli military has made targeting the tunnels a top priority, but the campaign has had repercussions for Palestinian civilians living above the network.
The letter from Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar highlights the group’s significant investment in tunnel fortifications, emphasizing the importance of doors in key areas of Gaza. The tunnels have become a crucial element of Hamas’s battle strategy, complicating Israeli military operations and prolonging the conflict.
The ongoing war in Gaza has exposed the complexities and challenges of underground warfare, with both sides adapting their tactics to the subterranean environment. The tunnels have become a key battleground, impacting the pace and outcomes of the conflict.