On October 12, the Israeli Air Force announced that it had dropped 6,000 bombs on the Gaza Strip, controlled by Hamas, in the six days since the outbreak of the latest Israel-Palestine conflict.
A military advisor from the Dutch peace organization PAX for Peace noted that the number of bombs Israel dropped in six days is close to the amount the U.S. Air Force dropped in Afghanistan in a year. The U.S. military's record for bombs dropped in Afghanistan stands at 7,423 in a year.
Data from the Palestinian Health Department indicates that the death toll in Gaza has risen to 1,530, with nearly 700 being women and children. Additionally, over 6,000 people have been injured. Of Gaza's population of over 2 million, 340,000, or nearly 15%, are now homeless.
On the Israeli side, at least 1,300 have died, with 3,297 injured. The total casualties from this round of conflict have reached tens of thousands.
On Thursday, Israel also launched airstrikes on the international airports in Damascus and Aleppo, Syria. For years, Israel has been targeting Iranian interests and pro-Iranian militias inside Syria. Both Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon are allies of Hamas.
Israel's intense airstrikes on Gaza and the mobilization of 360,000 reservists have increased the likelihood of a ground invasion of Gaza.
On Friday, UN spokesperson Dujarric stated that the Israeli military had issued an evacuation order to the UN, demanding residents of northern Gaza evacuate within 24 hours. Northern Gaza is home to 1.1 million residents, half of Gaza's population.
Dujarric described Israel's demand as "impossible to fulfill," warning that evacuating such a large number of people in such a short time would lead to "devastating humanitarian consequences."
Gaza, covering only 365 square kilometers, is densely populated with buildings and people. Hamas, coexisting with civilians, is equipped with anti-tank missiles, rockets, drones, landmines, and various explosives. If Israel were to invade Gaza and engage in street combat, the casualties would be even more severe.
Beyond the brutal urban warfare, Gaza's extensive tunnel network will pose significant challenges to the advancing Israeli forces.
The tunnel network in Gaza existed before Hamas took control in 2007, originally used for smuggling essential goods from Egypt. Now, the tunnels span the entirety of Gaza, with several leading directly into Israel, referred to by Israel as the "Gaza Metro."
Tunnel entrances are typically located beneath homes, schools, mosques, and other public buildings. This practice has sparked controversy, with accusations that Hamas uses civilians as human shields.
If Israel attempts to destroy the tunnels through airstrikes, even using bunker-busting bombs that penetrate underground before detonating, they would first need to drop bombs that penetrate civilian homes. In the 2021 Gaza conflict, Israel's airstrikes targeting Hamas tunnels resulted in the destruction of three residential buildings, killing 42 people.
The Israeli military explained that the target was the tunnels, but the underground explosions damaged the foundations of the residential buildings, causing them to collapse.
If Israeli soldiers were to enter the tunnels from the ground, they would face a complex underground maze and various explosive devices set up by Hamas. Hamas has previously threatened to execute Israeli hostages, who could potentially be taken into the tunnels.
A 2014 assessment of the Gaza conflict by the U.S. Military Academy's Counterterrorism Center highlighted rockets, ground forces, and the tunnel system as the three key elements of Hamas's warfare against Israel.
The assessment believed that the tunnels served as shelters from airstrikes for Hamas, but more importantly, they were used to hide weapons, transport troops and arms, and continue command operations underground. Additionally, the tunnels are closely related to rocket attacks, making it difficult for Israel to locate rocket launch sites and launchers.
The communication and defensive tunnels allow Hamas to move quickly below the battlefield, relocating to safer locations. Offensive tunnels are used to bypass Israeli surveillance and launch surprise attacks. Each tunnel used in combat is managed by different Hamas squads responsible for excavation and wartime operations.
In 2006, Hamas used a tunnel to enter Israel and kidnap Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Shalit was held captive for five years before being released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
The extent of the tunnel network beneath Gaza remains uncertain to Israel.
During the 2014 Gaza conflict, the Israeli military discovered and destroyed 36 tunnels, six of which led directly into Israel. Photos released by Israel at the time showed that Gaza's tunnels were reinforced with concrete, equipped with cables, generators, and communication systems. Some even had small rail systems for transporting equipment.
Middle Eastern media reported that every Hamas member, from leadership to regular soldiers, was very familiar with the tunnel routes related to them. Top leaders had exclusive tunnels that could serve as command centers in emergencies.
Israel estimated that between 2007 and 2014, Hamas built at least 1,300 tunnels at a cost of $1.25 billion, with the widest tunnels being large enough for vehicles.
In 2018, the Israeli military discovered a tunnel from Gaza leading to the Mediterranean Sea. Hamas used this tunnel to enter the Mediterranean and then dive to reach Israel for attacks.
During the 2021 Gaza conflict, the Israeli military claimed to have destroyed over 100 kilometers of tunnels. However, Hamas stated that their tunnel network spans 500 kilometers, with only 5% being destroyed.
Before their military use, Gaza's tunnels were primarily used for smuggling essential goods from Egypt, including livestock, clothing, and food. After Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, Israel and Egypt imposed a year-round blockade on Gaza, strictly limiting the movement of goods and people. Before 2010, Israel prohibited the import of construction materials, industrial raw materials, and "luxury goods" like toys and chocolate into Gaza.
Tunnel excavation and goods smuggling became Gaza's "tunnel industry." In 2011, a tunnel operator told Foreign Policy magazine that the minimum cost for a small tunnel used for smuggling cement was $15,000, while a large tunnel for smuggling cars could cost up to $150,000.
To regulate the tunnel industry, Hamas established a Tunnel Bureau responsible for overseeing tunnel construction quality, controlling the types of goods entering and exiting, and collecting taxes. Researchers estimate that in 2009, Hamas collected between $150 million and $200 million in tunnel taxes, rising to $300 million by 2011.
While providing a source of income for Hamas, the tunnel industry also offered employment opportunities for Gaza's youth. A 2011 report from the Middle East Research and Information Project stated that the tunnel industry was the second-largest non-governmental employer in Gaza and the largest employer of young people. At its peak, 22,000 people in Gaza were involved in the tunnel industry.
The report believed that during the strictest periods of the Israeli and Egyptian blockade on Gaza, the tunnel industry allowed for the reconstruction of Gaza and stimulated other industries. In October 2011, half of the 1,400 factories destroyed by Israel in the 2008 Gaza conflict had resumed operations.
However, as smugglers began using the tunnels to smuggle weapons in the opposite direction and transport them to Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, the Egyptian government intensified its crackdown on Gaza's tunnels. The Sinai Peninsula is home to several extremist groups, including ISIS, and the Egyptian government has been in continuous conflict with these militias.
In 2015, Egypt destroyed the entrances to Gaza's tunnels on its side and pumped seawater into them, rendering them useless. However, over 20 tunnels used for transporting goods remained intact.
Today, Gaza's tunnel network, the "Gaza Metro," is once again a primary target for Israel in its efforts against Hamas. This week, Israel announced the formation of a wartime cabinet, specifically to oversee the war against Hamas. The cabinet consists only of Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Gantz, and Blue and White party leader Gantz. Gantz stated that the wartime cabinet is ready to "wipe Hamas off the face of the earth."
