The Gaza Strip, a Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War of 1967, has many subterranean tunnels, some of which serve as the so-called “Gaza Metro,” a secret transit system used by Hamas, the political and militant group that has governed the area since 2007.
The Gaza Metro is a clandestine network of tunnels that connects various underground bunkers throughout the Gaza Strip. While the exact layout and scale of the network is unclear, the tunnels connect major Hamas-run weapons production and storage facilities, military bases, training camps, underground utilities, and even population centers.
A typical passenger ride on the underground transit system could include a trip from an underground bunker in the northern part of the Gaza Strip towards one of the numerous underground control rooms operated by Hamas in the southern end. It is rumored that the tunnels also connect Gaza City with the nearby Sinai Peninsula in Egypt.
The obvious purpose of the Gaza Metro is to move weapons, personnel and supplies quickly and safely across the territory, while minimizing the risk of being taken out by Israeli air strikes. It also gives Hamas the ability to rapidly respond to any Israeli offensive with an immediate counterattack.
In addition to being utilized for military purposes, the tunnels have also been used for transporting food and other essential items to besieged areas inside the Gaza Strip and to move money around Palestinian cities.
The construction of the tunnels could not have been an easy task, considering the rocky landscape of the area. Getting through the soil and rocks beneath the Gaza Strip would require significant engineering expertise and costly equipment. This reinforces the fact that the construction and operation of the Gaza Metro is largely funded by Iran, whose support has been crucial in the construction of the underground tunnel network.
Though the exact size and scope of the Gaza Metro remains unknown to the public, its power and importance in Hamas’ operations is clear. The mysterious subterranean network carries considerable strategic value for Hamas and ensures that they can continue to wage a war of attrition with Israel, maintaining the status quo in the the Gaza Strip.