IDF Paratroopers Gaza Operations: 13km Tunnels Destroyed

The Israel Defense Forces' Paratroopers Brigade concluded its mission in the Gaza Strip this week after three months of intensive operations in the Yellow Line area, a corridor along Gaza's border with Israel. The forces are now transitioning to operational duties in the West Bank. During their deployment in Gaza, the brigade destroyed extensive terror infrastructure and sealed underground tunnel routes totaling 13 kilometers in length.

According to the IDF, the forces operated under the command of the Gaza Division (143) and Division 99, tasked with defending and clearing the Yellow Line area of Hamas terror infrastructure. Operations focused on dismantling the underground tunnel network that terror organizations had constructed over many years, and eliminating immediate threats to IDF forces and communities in Israel's southern Negev region.

Paratroopers in Gaza (Photo: IDF Spokesperson)

Working alongside the Yahalom special engineering unit, the forces destroyed and sealed underground routes measuring a combined 13 kilometers. Among the sealed tunnels was a section of the route where the body of Lieutenant Hadar Goldin was held. Goldin fell during Operation Protective Edge in 2014, and Hamas held his remains for years until they were returned as part of the recent hostage deal.

The brigade destroyed numerous terror installations and located extensive combat equipment that Hamas had stockpiled for attacks against Israeli civilians and military forces. Recovered weapons included RPG rockets, mortar shells, grenades, launchers, and various types of ammunition. Additionally, the forces established new routes and defensive positions as part of efforts to improve security control in the area.

The Paratroopers Brigade's redeployment to Judea and Samaria comes amid a need to strengthen security operations in that region while IDF activity continues in Gaza. Southern Command forces will remain deployed in Gaza according to the ceasefire framework, working to eliminate any immediate threats to Negev communities and forces operating in the area.

The brigade's three-month operational campaign in Gaza joins the broader IDF effort to neutralize Hamas and other terror organizations' infrastructure throughout the Strip. Simultaneously, additional forces continue operating in various areas of Gaza to complete the clearing of terror infrastructure and prevent terror groups from reorganizing.