Israel said Thursday that it has "exposed a vast underground tunnel" in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. They said it was connected to an extensive network of underground tunnels beneath a civilian area of the city.
The military also showed the tunnel to journalists who were escorted to a neighborhood near the ruins of destroyed houses and streets. A makeshift staircase led to the narrow underground path, about 2.5 meters below. Further inside was a bathroom, where the military said they found evidence that the hostages had been there, including their DNA.
Israeli military operations in Gaza are focused on the southern city of Khan Younis and urban refugee camps in the center of the territory. Hundreds of people have been killed in recent days in attacks across the territory, including in areas in the far south where Israel told people to seek shelter.
