"Hamas Will Be Destroyed" Israeli Ground Forces Prepare for 'Tunnel Warfare'

Netanyahu "Will Crush Hamas" Announces Ground Offensive
Underground Tunnels in Gaza Strip... "Disadvantageous to Israel"

Israel has announced plans to deploy ground troops to the Gaza Strip in Palestine, but there are analyses suggesting that the Israeli military may struggle in combat in this area. This is because the Palestinian militant group Hamas has reportedly dug a spiderweb-like network of tunnels underground in Gaza and possibly set up booby traps in various locations, which puts the Israeli forces at a disadvantage.

On the 15th (local time), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared his intention to eradicate Hamas, the Palestinian militant group. Netanyahu presided over the weekly cabinet meeting that day and proposed a moment of silence "for the brothers and sisters killed by Hamas and the fallen heroes," then said, "Hamas thought we would collapse, but we will crush them."

On the 15th (local time), the Israeli military fired self-propelled artillery toward the Gaza Strip from the southern border area. The Israeli military notified Gaza Strip residents to evacuate by 1 p.m. that day. Photo by AP Yonhap News

If a full-scale ground war takes place, Israel is highly likely to win. This is because the power gap between the Israeli military and Hamas is clear; the Israeli regular army has about 170,000 troops and has mobilized 300,000 reservists, whereas Hamas's total forces are estimated to be between 20,000 and 30,000. Additionally, Israel possesses an advanced level of military technology that is incomparable to Hamas.

Lee Se-hwan, head of Charles Military Research Institute, explained on SBS Radio's Kim Tae-hyun Political Show on the 16th, "Hamas has no air force and only a naval commando-like unit, and their troop numbers are much smaller than Israel's. The actual power difference should be seen as 100 to 1 or 50 to 1."

The problem lies in guerrilla warfare. Lee said, "They conduct irregular warfare, and then when Israel enters Gaza to fight, it is a different kind of battle. Therefore, from Israel's perspective, it is not easy."

The tunnels Hamas has dug underground in Gaza are also expected to be a point where Israel will face difficulties. According to foreign media, Hamas has constructed an underground tunnel system called the 'Gaza Metro,' with a total length of 480 km and a maximum depth of 40 meters beneath Gaza. Lee pointed out, "In fact, Gaza is slightly smaller than Sejong City, but there is a tangled network of tunnels inside. You never know where they might pop out. From the Israeli military's standpoint, there is no sharp countermeasure against these tunnels."

U.S. President Joe Biden waves his hand while attending a human rights campaign dinner held in Washington DC on the 14th (local time). Photo by AP Yonhap News

In this situation, the United States has expressed opposition to Israel's occupation of the Gaza Strip. In an in-depth interview program '60 Minutes' aired on CBS on the 15th (local time), President Biden stated on the 7th that "Hamas must be completely eliminated," but also expressed the view that there must be a path toward the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Lee analyzed, "(President Biden) knows that if (Israeli forces) enter Gaza, they will struggle greatly," adding, "If the Israeli military enters Gaza, they have to finish it within a week, but since that is absurd, the U.S. is also issuing various warnings to Israel in its own way."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.