How did Hamas use tunnels in the Gaza Strip during conflicts with Israel?

Hamas has utilized an extensive network of subterranean tunnels in the Gaza Strip primarily to facilitate the smuggling of weapons into the territory. Following its takeover of the Gaza Strip in 2007, Hamas used these tunnels to bypass security arrangements and rearm itself between various conflicts with Israel, including those in 2008, 2012, 2014, and 2021.1

During the Israel-Hamas War, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) identified the destruction of these tunnels as a key strategic objective. In May 2024, the IDF took control of the Philadelphi Corridor—a buffer zone along the border with Egypt—specifically to dismantle the tunnel infrastructure used for smuggling and to weaken Hamas's military capabilities.1