Israel Vows to Destroy Gaza Tunnels After Hostages Are Freed

Israel has vowed to destroy all Hamas tunnels in the Gaza Strip once the remaining hostages held by the militant group are released under the ongoing ceasefire arrangement.

Defence Minister Israel Katz announced on Sunday that he had instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to prepare for a major operation aimed at dismantling what he described as “the entire terrorist tunnel infrastructure” left in Gaza.

According to Katz, the operation will begin immediately after the hostage release process is completed and will be carried out in coordination with an international mechanism led by the United States, as part of the next phase of the ceasefire plan.

“The tunnels of terror used by Hamas to hide hostages, weapons, and fighters will be completely destroyed,” Katz said. “There will be no future for Hamas’s underground war machine in Gaza.”

Israel has long accused Hamas of using a vast network of underground tunnels stretching beneath homes, schools, and hospitals to smuggle weapons and launch surprise attacks against Israeli forces and civilians.

The tunnels were a central focus of Israeli operations during the Gaza war, which began in October 2023 following a deadly Hamas assault on southern Israel.

The renewed military vow comes as a fragile truce holds, with preparations underway for a major prisoner-hostage exchange. Under the deal, dozens of Israeli hostages are expected to be released in phases in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

While Israeli officials insist that destroying the tunnels is essential to preventing future attacks, international aid groups have warned that further military operations could worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where thousands of civilians remain displaced and dependent on limited humanitarian aid.

Washington has expressed cautious support for Israel’s right to defend itself but urged restraint in any future operations to protect civilians and maintain the ceasefire.

The planned tunnel operation marks the next major stage of Israel’s campaign to dismantle Hamas’s military capabilities while navigating international pressure to sustain peace efforts and allow humanitarian aid to flow freely into the war-torn enclave.