Footage of Tunnels Used by Hamas for Terror Attacks

This video includes footage from various TV channels and from the Internet showing the tunnels used by Hamas in its attacks against Israel. Footage aired by the Lebanese Al-Quds TV channel on July 17 claims to show Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades members on their way to carry out an attack.

Al-Quds TV (Lebanon), July 17 2014:

Studio anchor: Dear viewers, we will now see exclusive footage of the elite unit of the Al-Qassam Brigades as it enters a tunnel, on its way to carry out a military operation against the Israeli occupation forces. These are images of members of Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam entering a tunnel, on their way to carry out a military operation against the occupation forces, which continue their aggression against Gaza.

Dear viewers, we are still watching this exclusive footage, which has just reached us. This is footage of the elite unit of the Al-Qassam Brigades during a military operation against the Israeli occupation forces, whose act of aggression against Gaza has left, so far, 242 martyrs and 1,800 wounded.

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Footage of tunnel digging and an operation posted on the Internet by Hamas in July 2014

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Animated video of tunnel operation posted on the Internet by Hamas in July 2014

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Archival: Al-Jazeera TV (Qatar) July 4, 2006

Muhamammad Al-Deif: Yahya 'Ayyash was in charge of the bombing operations. Then we carried out bombing operations. Later it developed into tunnel warfare, into the storming of settlements, and the killing of settlers, border patrol servicemen, army officers, and intelligence personnel. We acted on all fronts. Our activity was improved, and eventually, before the withdrawal, there was tunnel warfare, which was high quality warfare, in my view. This was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Abu 'Ubeida, Spokesman for Al-Qassam Brigades: We carried out five tunnel operations. The first operation was against the Termit post in Rafah. Then there was the operation against the Hardon post in Rafah. Next was the Mahfuza operation, followed by the Al-Sahm Al-Thaqel operation in east Al-Shaja'iya. The last one was the "Barakin Al-Ghadab" operation at the Rafah crossing. The biggest and longest of these tunnels was 350-400 meters, and it took a few months to dig, maybe four.

Reporter: How many men participated in the digging?

Abu 'Ubeida: I don't want to go into the figures, but I will say that there are squads that take turns, because it is hard work.

Reporter: Are we talking about dozens or hundreds of people?

Abu 'Ubeida: No we are talking about dozens.

Iyad Al-Daud: So you spend one-third of your day underground.

Member of the counter-terrorism unit of the Al-Qassam Brigades: Yes it is very difficult to breathe and work. Our young men work very hard. But as I told you, the goal is more important than all these difficulties.

Interviewer: This is an intelligence war par excellence, which is waged above and below ground. I am in what they call a five-star tunnel, compared to the previous tunnels, which were primitive even though they were effective. I wonder if Israel has lost the war of the minds to the counter-terrorism unit of the Al-Qassam Brigades. The operation for which this tunnel was dug is all but ready, and can be carried out within days at the most. When, how, and where? And how many Israeli casualties will it cause?

Member of the counter-terrorism unit of the Al-Qassam Brigades: Even if the enemy takes all the necessary precautions, we will definitely reach it within its own home, no matter what it does. This is what the enemy must realize from now on. We will reach it, because there is still land that is occupied, and there are still prisoners. The family of each prisoner waits for him. Therefore, we will do all we can to release these prisoners, using all methods, including the tunnels we are digging until we succeed, Allah willing, in liberating our land.

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