Israel uncovers massive Hamas tunnel: 7 km long, 25 metres deep, 80-room network

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have revealed the discovery of a vast underground tunnel system in Rafah, which was used by Hamas during years of conflict in the Gaza Strip. The military says this structure was also the location where the body of Lieutenant Hadar Goldin was secretly held following his death in the 2014 war.

Goldin, a Givati Brigade officer, was killed in a Hamas ambush during a ceasefire period in August 2014. His disappearance became a defining national trauma in Israel, with Hamas holding onto his remains for more than a decade. His body was recovered earlier this month after covert operations, the IDF confirmed.

⭕️ EXPOSED: A 7+ kilometer Hamas tunnel route that held Lt. Hadar Goldin.

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IDF troops uncovered one of Gaza’s largest and most complex underground routes, over 7 km long, ~25 meters deep, with ~80 hideouts, where abducted IDF officer Lt. Hadar Goldin was held.

The tunnel runs… pic.twitter.com/GTId75CvYw

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 20, 2025

The underground complex spans more than 7 kilometres, plunges 25 metres underground, and contains approximately 80 rooms. Elite units, including the Yahalom combat engineering force and the Shayetet 13 naval commandos, were involved in its discovery.

Inside, forces located command hubs used by senior Hamas operatives, among them Muhammad Shabana, who was killed earlier this year alongside Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar.

Arrest of Hamas member linked to Goldin’s fate

In a separate announcement, the IDF said it had detained Marwan Al-Hams, described as “a Hamas terrorist involved in the determination of Lt. Hadar Goldin’s death.” The military also said he was believed to possess information about “the location of Lt. Goldin’s burial in the ‘White-Crowned’ tunnel in Rafah.”

“The operation in July 2025 was part of dozens of confidential operations conducted in the past 6 months to retrieve Lt. Hadar Goldin & return him for burial in Israel,” the IDF noted.

Who was Lt. Hadar Goldin?

Goldin, only 23 when he was killed, became one of the most recognised figures of the 2014 conflict. His case drove years of Israeli pressure for the return of soldiers held by Hamas. The eventual recovery of his remains marks a deeply emotional milestone for his family, whose struggle long symbolised the unresolved human toll of the war.

War Continues in Gaza

The discovery of the tunnel comes as fighting persists in the Gaza Strip. On Thursday, Israeli strikes in Khan Younis killed five people, including a baby, and wounded others, according to medical officials. Both Israel and Hamas have accused one another of breaching what remains of a fragile truce nearly six weeks old.

The Gaza war began after the Hamas-led October 7 assault on southern Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Since then, Israel’s offensive has resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian casualties, with health authorities in Gaza reporting that most victims are civilians.