Israel announces completion of Gaza barrier
Massive barrier intended to end threat of cross-border attack tunnels used by Hamas
Israel's Defense Minister Benny Gantz announced on Tuesday that the construction of an anti-tunnel barrier around the Gaza Strip was completed after three and a half years of work and an investment of $1.1 billion.
With the massive 32.8-foot-high barrier that stretches across 40 miles, Israel hopes to end the threat of cross-border attack tunnels from the Palestinian coastal enclave.
The barrier was built both above and below ground.
"This barrier, a creative, technological project of the first order, denies Hamas one of the capabilities that it tried to develop and places an 'iron wall,' sensors and concrete between the terror organization and the residents of Israel's south," Gantz said at a ceremony.
Gantz also warned that Israel could be seeing a "calm before the storm," following recent threats from Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups, which criticize "the slowness of the reconstruction of Gaza."
Since the 11-day conflict that erupted in May, Israel and Hamas have been negotiating an extended ceasefire, which would see additional aid and international assistance flowing into Gaza in exchange for calm.
However, Israel conditioned the complete reconstruction of Gaza on the return of the remains of two Israeli civilians and two Israeli army soldiers held by Hamas.
For its part, the terrorist group has insisted that it will not release them as long as the Jewish state refuses to release a large number of Palestinian terrorists in Israeli prisons.