After days of tense negotiations, Israel says it will wipe out what’s left of Hamas’s tunnel network under Gaza 🕳️. This move comes once all hostages are safely returned, under a US-led international mechanism supporting the three-day ceasefire 🤝.
Defense Minister Israel Katz announced the plan on Sunday, ordering the army to prepare for a full-scale operation to destroy underground passages that Hamas fighters have used for surprise attacks. Many of these tunnels have already been demolished during the two-year conflict sparked by Hamas’s October 7 cross-border assault.
The next stage of the US-backed ceasefire plan foresees Hamas disarming and demilitarizing. So far, Hamas has agreed to the first phase, which halted fighting on Friday and set the stage for a swap: 48 Israeli hostages for 250 detainees held by Israel, plus 1,700 Gazans released by the military.
But as the deal moves forward, Hamas still resists full disarmament. Senior official Hossam Badran told AFP that the second phase contains many complexities and difficulties. For now, all eyes are on the release of hostages and Israel’s promise to take down the tunnels that have shaped this conflict.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
