Stopping Gaza tunnels top priority — Israel’s military chief

But Hamas has been stealing much of the building material entering Gaza as humanitarian aid in order to construct the tunnels, most of which are reinforced with concrete.

Nine other Palestinians died in two unrelated tunnel collapses in the past two weeks, all of them members of the Al-Qassam Brigades – the military wing of the Hamas Islamist movement which controls Gaza.

“The rockets fired from the Gaza Strip into Israeli towns affect Israel, but the Iron Dome reduced their impact”.

“We appreciate Iran for the support it has provided for the resistance”, senior Hamas leader Khalil Abu Leila said, according to the newspaper.

Israel’s Shin Bet security service says al-Qeq is involved in militant activities linked to Hamas, the Islamic group that rules Gaza.

He said the tunnels were “to defend Gaza and become a jumping-off point to all Palestine” (by which he means: a way to attack Israel).

His comments followed news reports that Egypt flooded ten of Hamas’s tunnels near the border last Friday, the latest in a long series of moves against the group, with which Cairo has had fluctuating relations.

According to Israeli figures, 68 Israeli soldiers and five civilians were killed in the conflict, while 2,522 Israelis – including 740 soldiers – were injured.

Iran itself is a listed state sponsor of terrorism and has always been accused of supporting terrorist groups across the the Middle East, including Hamas and Hezbollah, both of which are considered Israeli enemies. The move is an attempt to make up for losses to Hamas’s coffers suffered due to Egypt’s policy of destroying tunnels between Sinai and Gaza, the general said.

The Israeli accusations against Hamas were made as earlier reports said that parts of the ground of the borderline area between southern Gaza Strip and Egypt had recently collapsed after the Egyptian army pumped sea water into tunnels that were dug underneath the borders for smuggling.

Summary⎙ Print Despite setbacks, Hamas has been digging more tunnels and continues to flaunt them as a strategic weapon against Israel in propaganda videos.

Hamas militants attend the funeral of Palestinian Jihad Al-Obeed, who was shot dead by Israeli troops on Friday, in Deirl al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip October 10, 2015.