As the international community's urge for a ceasefire in Gaza strengthens, the US dials up pressure on Israel with a second visit by the US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, since the onset of the conflict. The visit is expected to encourage Israeli officials, aiming to establish specific milestones for the ongoing aggression against Hamas.
Amid these developments, Israeli Defense Forces have reportedly unearthed what they proclaim as the most extensive Hamas tunnel within Gaza, spanning near three miles in length. Previously discovered tunnels have been fairly narrow, accommodating only single-file passage of patrons. However, this tunnel's dimensions are expansive enough for a large vehicle to tread through. The military also confirmed that the tunnel extended as deep as 50 meters underground.
Confirming the discovery a few weeks prior, they only recently presented it to the public. Allegedly, the brother of Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, was responsible for this project, but Israeli Forces do not offer evidence substantiating this claim.
Hamas has hinted at the existence of several such tunnels, extending hundreds of meters long. However, the notable attributes of this tunnel are the scale and its proximity to the Erez crossing, a key meeting point between Israel and Gaza. An entrance to this tunnel opened to a mere 400 meters from the Erez crossing, a site of a lethal attack by Hamas militants earlier this month.
A communication blackout set in Gaza for the last four days according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society. This is the most extended blackout experienced in the Gaza Strip since the conflict's emergence, compelling the Red Crescent Society and similar entities to utilize radio communications for emergency operations coordination.
US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, will conduct meetings with Israel's Defense Minister and War Cabinet to discuss the future trajectory of this conflict. The objective of the visit is clear: to apply significant pressure on Israel against escalating civil fatalities in Gaza.
Israel's plan about de-escalating the current phase of the war and transitioning from an all-out ground offense, sustained bombing campaigns to a more targeted special operations raids and intelligence-driven focus on Hamas's senior leadership are now under scrutiny.
The international community and the US government's mounting pressure on Israel becomes evident as the civil death toll in Gaza keeps surging. The question yet remains if Israel will answer these consequential questions in a timely manner.
