Hamas’s underground tunnel network played a crucial role in their guerrilla warfare tactics against Israel, serving as a key component of their military strategy:

1. Concealment and mobility: The extensive tunnel system, estimated to be between 350-450 miles long with around 5,700 separate shafts, allowed Hamas fighters to move unseen throughout Gaza. This enabled them to “vanish” and launch surprise attacks against Israeli forces.

2. Ambush tactics: Hamas fighters used the tunnels to emerge briefly in small units to carry out ambushes, set booby traps, plant roadside bombs, attach mines to Israeli armored vehicles, or fire rocket-propelled grenades before retreating underground.

3. Survival and force preservation: The tunnels provided shelter from Israeli airstrikes and artillery, allowing Hamas fighters to survive intense bombardments and preserve their fighting force.

4. Command and control: The underground network likely housed command centers, allowing Hamas leadership to maintain control and coordination of their forces.

5. Resource storage: The tunnels were used to store weapons, ammunition, and other supplies, ensuring a sustained guerrilla campaign.

6. Hostage concealment: The tunnel network was reportedly used to hide hostages, complicating Israeli rescue efforts and military operations.

7. Psychological warfare: The mere existence of the extensive tunnel network created uncertainty for Israeli forces, forcing them to be constantly vigilant about potential underground threats.

8. Strategic advantage: By integrating the tunnels with civilian infrastructure, Hamas made it difficult for Israel to target them without causing civilian casualties, thus gaining a political and strategic advantage.

9. Long-term resistance: The tunnels allowed Hamas to prolong the conflict, slowing down Israeli advances and potentially influencing international opinion.

This underground maneuvering formed a critical part of Hamas’s asymmetric warfare strategy, enabling them to challenge a militarily superior opponent by exploiting the urban and subterranean terrain of Gaza.