Israel confirms construction on Yellow Line underground barrier; uncovers Hamas tunnels
During the ongoing construction on a multi-layered barrier along the Yellow Line in the Gaza Strip, dozens of Hamas tunnels crossing into the Israeli side were uncovered
After being confronted with satellite imagery, the IDF has confirmed to the Associated Press that it is building a physical barrier along its yellow line in Gaza, the boundary to which Israeli troops withdrew under the October ceasefire deal with Hamas. The line was envisioned in the US-backed agreement as a temporary division of the territory pending a fuller Israeli withdrawal.
News of the barrier construction was first reported on, exclusively, by i24NEWS's sister Hebrew channel military correspondent Yinon Shalom Yatach. In that report, it was revealed that during drilling operations for the construction of an underground IDF barrier in the Gaza Strip, dozens of previously unknown tunnels were discovered crossing from the Hamas side toward the Israeli side beneath the Yellow Line.
The IDF is expected to complete construction of a multi-layered barrier along the Yellow Line in the near future. The new barrier consists of thousands of underground drill shafts, a deep trench, earthen embankments and berms, a line of military outposts, and security patrol routes.
Southern Command has been taking advantage of the relative calm in Gaza to carry out drilling every few meters along the entire Yellow Line. So far, most of the barrier has been completed, with its construction carried out through thousands of different drillings.
During these drilling operations, dozens of new Hamas tunnels were uncovered that cross toward the Israeli side of the Yellow Line in the Gaza Strip. The tunnels have been added to the engineering target bank for future sealing. One source said, "Thanks to the new method, we are managing to destroy thousands of meters of tunnels every week."
The assessment in Israel is that Hamas has recently realized that the IDF is drilling along the yellow line to locate tunnels, and has begun to collapse or build high underground walls so that the IDF will not damage or locate the existing tunnels on the Hamas side.
A source in the Southern Command estimates that within a few months, the construction of the barrier along the entire Strip will be completed.