Death tunnels

One of the most important objectives of Operation Protective Edge was (and still is) destroying of tunnels dug by Hamas into the Israeli territory.

I have already signaled in my last post that tunnels - dug constantly over the period of some years - have cost lives of at least 160 Gaza children (and many more civilians) - victims nobody in the West is crying over as few have heard about them and even fewer are willing to make the story public.

Time and again the world sees an article about not allowing building materials to Gaza. That is far from truth (although some restrictions apply) and I have written about it already here. But the materials reaching Gaza are used for purposes I presume have not much to do with intentions of most supporters (though some intend exactly this use). Here is the graphic show of the use I mean:

This is what brings woe on the inhabitants of Gaza. But what the use of so vast tunnel system? According to gathered information - gathered for a period of time - they were prepared to use as attack tunnels to infiltrate the Israeli territory for a sole purpose of killing and kidnapping Israeli citizens. In some of the tunnels weapons were found. In some Israeli army uniforms, motorcycles or even cages for the purpose of keeping hostages were located.

It is impossible to spot those tunnels from above, even less so to destroy them in this way. So far the only way there is  to learn about them is intelligence activities and searching on the ground. The only way to destroy them is by putting troops on the ground.

Some sources indicate that for this year's Rosh Hashana (Israeli New Year) which will take place on the 24th of September, the big offensive was being prepared by Hamas. The massive attacks, killings and abductions if succeeded could have taken as many lives as the attack on the WTC.

Some of the tunnels discovered were reaching 2 kilometers (1.4 mile) into the Israeli territory.  Some had their openings in kibbutzim nearby. Many had not only reinforced walls (with donated materials so needed in Gaza for civilian purposes) but also  phone lines and military equipment of different sorts (as stated above). Here how some of them looked:

Is there any wonder why Israel had to destroy them? Just imagine living with not only rockets falling but the threat of having your near and dear killed or kidnapped. What kind of state would allow it? Certainly one which cares not about its citizens (we all know USSR conducted "test" nuclear attack with the use of their own troops), but Israel is the kind of democracy that is protecting her citizens - the kind of democracy we would all love to live in and few of us has this opportunity.

I repeat what I said - it is horrible that people are being killed; it is horrible there is such a war but the culpable is but one - Hamas, and I ask you to put blame where it belongs.