Hamas does not operate above ground; instead, like woodworms they reside in an intricate maze of underground tunnels, built by the Islamist organisation and financed and supplied by Iran. This means Israel can bomb Gaza with impunity -- but it would need to deploy hundreds of thousands of troops if it is to wipe the organisation out.
Network of tunnels built after Hamas assumed power
And, along the way, it would have to contend with urban guerrilla warfare. The network of tunnels were built after Hamas assumed power in the Gaza Strip in 2007 and have since been used to launch several attacks on Israel. According to a Daily Mail report not only do the tunnels run underground throughout Gaza, but several trespass into Israeli territory and have long served as a launch point for many of the Hamas' attacks.
Hamas also uses the network to hide rockets and other munitions, facilitate communication within their organisations, conceal militants, launch attacks, and conduct training. Some of the three dozen tunnels built since the end of the 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict are estimated to have cost $3 million ($2.13 million), the tabloid reports. The tunnels are reinforced with concrete to protect them from airstrikes and from caving in.
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