‘We assess that far fewer operatives remain underground compared to the beginning of the war.’
By Hezy Laing
Senior Israeli military officials have increasingly argued that Hamas’s underground presence in Gaza has been dramatically reduced, with only a limited number of fighters still operating inside the tunnel system.
In a recent briefing, IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said, “Hamas’s tunnel network has been severely damaged. We assess that far fewer operatives remain underground compared to the beginning of the war.”
Another IDF official, speaking about the condition of the tunnel network, said, “We have dismantled large parts of Hamas’s underground infrastructure. What remains is fragmented and far less effective than before.”
The IDF maintains that months of targeted strikes, demolitions, and raids have forced many militants to abandon subterranean positions.
But several independent analysts and former intelligence officers argue that the situation is more complex.
They note that Hamas spent more than a decade expanding its tunnel system, and that the group designed it to survive prolonged conflict.
Some experts caution that Israel’s visibility into the deepest layers of the network remains limited.
Dr. Lina Barakat, a regional security researcher, said, “The IDF has made real progress, but it is premature to conclude that Hamas’s underground force is close to collapse. The tunnel system was built to absorb heavy punishment.”
Former Israeli intelligence officer Amos Darshan offered a similar warning: “We simply don’t know what’s happening in the lowest levels of the network. The assumption that only a few fighters remain underground is not supported by hard evidence.”
Critics also point to the difficulty of verifying how many tunnels remain intact.
They argue that even if major routes have been destroyed, smaller branches or deeper levels may still be operational.
As one regional analyst put it, “The IDF has clearly inflicted major damage, but no one outside the tunnels can say with certainty how many fighters remain below ground.”
Another analyst, Sarah Mendel, added, “Hamas has repeatedly shown an ability to reconstitute underground positions faster than expected. Declaring the tunnel system nearly defeated may create a misleading sense of finality.”
The disagreement highlights a broader uncertainty about Hamas’s long‑term military capacity.
While the IDF insists the group’s underground capabilities are nearing collapse, outside experts warn that the true extent of the remaining network may not be fully known.
