IDF destroys over 26km of Hamas tunnels since ceasefire began

Let me wait and retry once.IDF forces have destroyed more than 26 kilometers of Hamas tunnels on the Israeli-controlled side of the Yellow Line in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect, according to the Israel Defense Forces, a discovery that lays bare the staggering scale of the terror group's underground war machine even as a fragile truce holds.

Among the network dismantled was a kilometer-long tunnel demolished in recent weeks, the IDF said. Military officials have long described Gaza's tunnel system as one of the most extensive subterranean networks built by any non-state actor, engineered over years with concrete, ventilation shafts and electrical wiring running beneath homes, schools and civilian infrastructure.

The continued unearthing of tunnels months into the ceasefire raises fresh questions about whether Hamas is living up to the demilitarization terms that underpin the truce. Israeli officials have repeatedly stressed that the tunnels were not merely defensive infrastructure but an offensive tool — used to stage ambushes, shelter fighters and hostages, and smuggle weapons throughout the war that began with Hamas's October 7 massacre.

The scale of the find on Israel's own side of the demarcation line suggests the IDF is still actively rooting out threats that Hamas either failed to disclose or deliberately concealed. That reality has reinforced Jerusalem's position that Israeli forces must maintain an active security presence in Gaza — including operations beyond the ceasefire lines — until Hamas is verifiably disarmed. The tunnel discoveries come as the IDF has separately continued targeting Hamas commanders it says remain active in Gaza, an effort detailed in recent IDF operations against Hamas leadership, underscoring that Israeli officials view the group's command structure and infrastructure as still functioning despite the truce.

For years, Hamas's tunnel network — sometimes dubbed the "Gaza Metro" by Israeli commentators — has been cited by Israeli defense officials as proof that international aid and construction materials funneled into the territory were diverted toward militant infrastructure rather than civilian reconstruction. Critics of Hamas's governance in Gaza have long argued that resources poured into tunnel-building came at the direct expense of hospitals, schools and housing for ordinary Gazans, a point Israeli officials are likely to amplify as they publicize the latest findings.

The discovery also lands amid broader financial and security pressure on Hamas's global support network, including U.S. law enforcement efforts to choke off the group's funding streams, such as the Justice Department's seizure of crypto donations bound for Hamas. Taken together, Israeli and American officials appear to be building a case that Hamas remains an active, funded, and armed threat despite the ceasefire framework.

What happens next remains uncertain. The IDF has given no indication it plans to halt its tunnel-clearing operations, and Israeli officials have signaled they view continued excavation and demolition as a prerequisite — not an obstacle — to any lasting peace arrangement. Whether mediators pressing the ceasefire forward will treat these findings as a material breach by Hamas, or simply a mopping-up of pre-existing infrastructure, is likely to become a point of contention in the weeks ahead.

Why it matters: Every kilometer of tunnel uncovered on Israel's own side of the line is a reminder that Hamas built its war machine to outlast any single conflict, and it strengthens the case for Israeli hawks who argue that a ceasefire without full demilitarization is merely a pause, not a peace.