Hamas had apparently been preparing a murderous assault on Israeli civilian targets for the coming Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year Holiday, which begins on September 24, according to unnamed sources in the Israeli security services, quoted by Israel’s daily Maariv.
The Hamas plan consisted of what was to be a surprise attack in which 200 terrorists would be dispatched through each of dozens of tunnels dug by Hamas under the border from Gaza to Israel, and seize kibbutzim and other communities while killing and kidnapping Israeli civilians.
Israel has reportedly discovered at least 30 tunnels, and has destroyed several of them by employing bulldozers. IDF excavation of the tunnels has resulted in the seizure of tons of Hamas supplies, as well as the discovery of plans for future operations.
Clearly, the network of tunnels -- using hundreds of tons of concrete (supplied by Israel) that might otherwise have been used by the Palestinians for building homes, shopping malls, parks, schools, hospitals and libraries -- indicates that Hamas had been preparing for an ongoing conflict for at least a year.
According to the reports, each tunnel has arteries, veins, offshoots, and offshoots of the offshoots in intricate and complex arrangements. As one Israeli spokesman said, "There are two Gazas, one above ground and one below ground: an underground terrorist city."