The Elaborate Scheme That Funded Hamas' Billion-Dollar Terror Tunnel Network

These tunnels, built by the Islamic terror group Hamas, range from simple warrens used for ambushes to elaborate complexes complete with elevators, electricity, and ventilation systems. Some even have bedrooms, bathrooms, and dining rooms, as well as command centers for Hamas operations.

Israeli military estimates suggest that Hamas has spent tens of millions of dollars over the past 16 years constructing this underground system, which rivals the subway systems of major cities like London and Paris.

The existence of this tunnel network, referred to as the "Gaza Metro" by Israelis and "Lower Gaza" by Palestinians, has been known for years, with Hamas leaders openly boasting about it. However, the question remains as to how Hamas, in one of the world's most impoverished territories, managed to finance such an intricate and expansive project. Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, president of the Israel Law Center, believes that even the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) do not fully understand the extent of Hamas' underground metropolis. She suggests that the construction of this elaborate system likely cost tens of millions of dollars, if not more, and questions where the money came from.

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According to Darshan-Leitner, Hamas levied taxes on Gaza's residents while relying on aid agencies, regional powers like Qatar, and the Palestinian Authority (PA) to cover the costs of essential services and infrastructure projects. Qatar provided oil and funded humanitarian projects, the PA covered electricity, water, health, and education, and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) supported the needs of the refugee population. This allowed Hamas to divert its funds towards military purposes.

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While UNRWA claims that its activities do not enable Hamas to build tunnels, Hamas leaders have admitted to taking advantage of the fact that the U.N. and others care for civilians to construct their vast underground network. Hamas leader Moussa Abu Marzouk stated in a recent interview that the U.N. should be responsible for protecting Gaza's population, not Hamas. However, Dr. Ronnie Shaked, a researcher on Palestinian Affairs, points out that Hamas receives significant financial support from Iran, as well as weapons and military training. He emphasizes that building the tunnels required not only billions of dollars but also a massive amount of manpower, engineering expertise, and specialized machinery.

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The tunnel project began in the early 2000s with underground passageways used for smuggling goods from Egypt into Gaza. Hamas then expanded its tunnel network to attack tunnels beneath the border with Israel, which were used in the abduction of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006. Over the years, Qatar has also directly provided millions of dollars in funding to Gaza, initially smuggling cash-filled suitcases through Egypt and later through a special arrangement with Israel.

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However, Darshan-Leitner argues that Israel's policy of allowing money to flow into Gaza, including funds from Qatar, was intended to prevent the creation of a cohesive Palestinian state by keeping Hamas and the PA divided. This policy backfired when Hamas launched a surprise attack on October 7, killing over 1,200 Israelis and initiating the current war. Now, Israeli forces are working to dismantle Hamas' underground terror threat and locate over 130 Israeli nationals believed to be held hostage in the tunnels.

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Brig. Gen. (Retired) Yaakov Nagel, Israel's former acting national security adviser, describes the tunnels as a "full city beneath a city." He explains that while Israel had focused on destroying tunnels crossing the border into Israeli territory, it did not fully understand the extent of the tunnel network within Gaza.

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Israel has invested $1 billion in an underground barrier and intelligence technology to monitor the border, but the recent attack revealed the limitations of relying solely on technology. Nagel argues that Israel should have greater control over Gaza to prevent future surprises.

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