The Israel Defense Forces described the find as “a strategic shaft, with stairs built into it”. (File)

Tel Aviv:

Soldiers discovered a tunnel shaft underneath a baby’s bed in a children’s room in the Jabaliya area of northern Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces announced on Sunday.

The Israel Defense Forces described the find as “a strategic shaft, with stairs built into it”.

A video released by the military showed a white crib next to a hole in the floor with descending spiral steps.

During activity in Jabalya, the Nahal Brigade located an operational tunnel shaft inside a children’s room in the basement of a building. This shaft included built-in stairs and was destroyed by the brigade’s engineering forces. pic.twitter.com/O9yDS6HoVN

— דובר צה״ל דניאל הגרי – Daniel Hagari (@IDFSpokesperson) December 17, 2023

“Hamas-ISIS uses children’s rooms, uses baby’s cots, to hide what is used for terror, for murder and slaughter,” an officer, identified as Maj. Alon, a company commander in the 931st Battalion, said.

Combat engineers destroyed the shaft.

Meanwhile, Israeli ground troops conducted a targeted raid on an operational centre in the area of Shejaiya, where weapons, explosive devices, AK-47s and grenades were found. The soldiers also located an attack tunnel shaft over 15 meters in length from which Hamas previously carried out attacks against troops.

The troops directed an aircraft to strike the shaft.

During an additional incident, IDF troops destroyed a weapons storage facility located inside the residence of a Hamas terrorist operative.

Soldiers also identified a squad of seven terrorists in the area of Khan Yunis who posed a threat to soldiers. The troops directed an airstrike on the terrorists’ location, where they were subsequently killed.

Further, the IDF ground forces operated in a structure where rocket manufacturing parts were found near a UNWRA school. Three terror tunnel shafts were identified near the school.

The ongoing armed offensive came after at least 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7.

While slaughtering civilians, including babies sleeping in their cots, Hamas terrorists sneaked back into Gaza with several hostages.

However, some of the hostages were freed following a temporary cease on the hostilities in Gaza. The number of men, women, children, soldiers and foreigners currently held captive in Gaza by Hamas is now believed to be 129.

Other people remain unaccounted for as Israeli authorities continue to identify bodies and search for human remains.

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