Two separate military tunnels collapsed in Gaza late Thursday night, killing two members of the ruling Hamas terrorist organization.
Both diggers were members of the Izz a-Din al-Qassam armed wing of the terrorist group, according to Hamas.
The terror group said in its announcement that 32-year-old Khalil al-Dimyati, and 22-year-old Yusef Abu Abed died when two “resistance tunnels” collapsed.
The term “resistance tunnels” refers to those that are used specifically for military purposes.
According to a security source quoted by the AFP news agency, one collapse was near Khan Younis, not far from the border with Israel. The other was in Gaza City.
Such tunnels are used for the transfer of terrorists and their abducted Israeli prisoners as well as the storage of weapons, ammunition and other military supplies. Hamas invests millions of dollars in building its tunnel network.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres personally toured a Hamas terrorist tunnel, accompanied by Israel Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon and IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi, during his visit to Israel last month. Guterres also visited Gaza and the Palestinian Authority during the same week.