Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced on Sunday that he has instructed the army to begin preparations for destroying what he described as Hamas’ underground tunnel network in the Gaza Strip.
In a post on X, Katz said that demolishing the tunnels would be Israel’s “main challenge” after the phase of returning hostages, adding that the operation would be carried out directly by the Israeli army and through an international mechanism led and supervised by the United States.
He asserted that dismantling the tunnels represents the core objective of the demilitarisation of Gaza and disarmament of Hamas, agreed upon in the ceasefire deal.
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of a 20-point plan he proposed on September 29 to establish a ceasefire in Gaza, secure the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, and begin a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip.
The first phase of the truce took effect at midday Friday, with Israeli forces pulling back to the so-called yellow line, opening a 72-hour window for the prisoner exchange process.
The second phase of the plan involves creating a new governing structure in Gaza without Hamas, forming a joint security force of Palestinians and troops from Arab and Islamic nations, and ensuring Hamas’ disarmament.
Since October 2023, Israel has killed over 67,600 Palestinians, mostly women and children, leaving much of the Gaza Strip uninhabitable.
