Israeli defense minister says 60% of Hamas tunnels are still intact

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz says the "most important strategic objective" now in Gaza is the demilitarization of the Strip by destroying Hamas's tunnels, 60% of which are still intact, Report informs via The Times of Israel.

"The demilitarization of Gaza by destroying Hamas's terror tunnels, alongside disarming Hamas, is, in my view, the most important strategic objective for achieving victory in Gaza," Katz says in a statement.

He says that "the most urgent moral mission is, of course, the return of all fallen hostages home, and we will do everything to carry out this sacred and important mission."

"The overarching strategic mission to realize the great victory achieved by the heroic IDF soldiers against Hamas terrorists in Gaza is the demilitarization of Gaza through the complete destruction of the terror tunnels, 60% of which still exist, alongside the dismantling of Hamas's weapons," Katz says.

The Israeli military has argued that the main focus during the war has been on Hamas's attack tunnels and those used as command centers or for weapons manufacturing - the vast majority of which have been destroyed - rather than on the numerous tunnels that Hamas uses to move around the Strip, especially in areas where ground troops never operated.

Katz says he instructed the IDF "to make the destruction of the tunnels the central task now" in the areas of the Strip under Israeli control.

"This is alongside the dialogue we are holding with US representatives, from the vice president and the secretaries of state and defense, through the US President's envoys and up to CENTCOM commanders, about the importance and critical nature of the matter, and about their need to implement President Trump's plan and find a way to undertake a thorough dismantling and destruction of all the terror tunnels in the remaining area under their responsibility, alongside the disarmament of Hamas," Katz adds.