The Israel Defence Forces claim to have found the largest-ever Hamas tunnel in Gaza.

Footage shared by the IDF purports to show the opening of the tunnel near the Erez border crossing, though it did not enter Israeli territory.

The tunnel was claimed to be 2.5 miles long and around 50 metres underground.

This footage was filmed and produced 18 December 2023.

The IDF reveals the largest-ever Hamas attack tunnel discovered by the military, in the northern Gaza Strip, close to the Erez border crossing.

The tunnel, of which around four kilometres were uncovered by the IDF, goes down some 50 meters underground in some areas and appears to be wide enough for vehicles to pass through. It did not enter Israeli territory.

One of the shafts was found just 400 meters from the Erez Crossing, which until Hamas’s October 7 onslaught, facilitated the movement of Palestinian civilians into Israel for work and medical care.

The IDF says that over the last few weeks, the Combat Engineering Corps’ elite Yahaom unit and Gaza Division’s Northern Brigade used “advanced intelligence and technological means” to uncover the “strategic” tunnel network, scan it, and clear it of any potential threats.

The tunnel has several branches and junctions, along with plumbing, electricity, and communication lines, according to the IDF. In some parts of the tunnel, troops found blast doors, which the IDF said were intended to prevent troops from entering.

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