Article in The Times of Israel by Andy Blumenthal: The Gaza tunnels are one of the greatest obstacles to the IDF in destroying Hamas and rescuing the hostages. Given that Hamas will never voluntarily release “the ace” they are holding with the hostages, Israel has the unenviable task of not only “smoking out” and dealing with the terrorists but also simultaneously rescuing the hostages. This seems like a near “mission impossible,” but with the right “smoke” and the ingenuity and bravery of the IDF, along with G-d’s guiding hand, there is still hope.

1. 11/4/23, 10:14 PM Smoke Them Out | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/smoke-them-out/ 1/7
THE BLOGS
Andy Blumenthal
Leadership With Heart
Smoke Them Out
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2. 11/4/23, 10:14 PM Smoke Them Out | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/smoke-them-out/ 2/7
Credit Photo: Zachary DeBottis via https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-wearing-motorcycle-helmet-
2930929/
The Gaza tunnels are one of the greatest obstacles to the IDF in destroying
Hamas and rescuing the hostages. Given that Hamas will never voluntarily
release “the ace” they are holding with the hostages, Israel has the unenviable
task of not only “smoking out” and dealing with the terrorists but also
simultaneously rescuing the hostages. This seems like a near “mission
impossible,” but with the right “smoke” and the ingenuity and bravery of the
IDF, along with G-d’s guiding hand, there is still hope.
What are terror tunnels?
Similar to the tunnels and guerrilla tactics used by the Viet Cong in the Vietnam
War, the Hamas tunnel system, referred to as the “Gaza Metro,” enables Hamas
to hide and conduct hit-and-run attacks with rocket fire into Israel population
centers and anti-tank missiles, mortars, rocket-propelled grenades, improvised
explosive devices, AK-47s, and other weapons’ fire at Israeli troops and civilians.
The terror tunnels also enable infiltration into Israel to murder, rape, terrorize,
and abduct innocent civilians as well as soldiers.

3. 11/4/23, 10:14 PM Smoke Them Out | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/smoke-them-out/ 3/7
The situation is made all the more dangerous by the terrorist sponsorship of the
tunnels and rockets by the radical Islamist Iranian regime, which is looking to
destroy Israel, confront the United States, and build a dangerous regional
caliphate to counter Western civilization.
The tunnels house command and control rooms, intelligence headquarters,
supplies, military workshops, and tens of thousands of terrorists. They also
provide a hiding place away from Israeli surveillance drones and satellites for
the 240+ Israeli hostages that Hamas abducted on October 7.
The reinforced concrete tunnels run as far as 311 miles and are up to 82 feet
deep to prevent their destruction or collapse in bombing or demolition. Further,
by now we know the entrances are typically well camouflaged and hidden under
schools, hospitals, mosques, and apartment buildings. Moreover, they use
human shields in these sensitive locations to try to prevent Israel from
discovering or destroying them. The tunnels are built in a vast spider’s web
labyrinth to create blind corners, booby trap them, and disorient Israeli soldiers
that may try to locate them or navigate their way through. Further, the Hamas
tunnels often run from Gaza (or Hezbollah tunnels from Lebanon) directly into
Israel.
History of Hamas and Hezbollah Tunnels
In 2006, Hamas used such tunnels to enter Israel, kill two IDF soldiers, wound
five, and abduct Gilad Shalit, who was held prisoner in Gaza for five years and
only released in 2011 upon Israel handing over 1,027 terrorist prisoners to free
him.
Subsequently, in 2014, Israel discovered and destroyed 32 tunnels, 14 of which
went from Gaza into southern Israel. Similarly, in 2018–2019, Israel found and
neutralized another six tunnels from Lebanon into north Israel.

4. 11/4/23, 10:14 PM Smoke Them Out | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/smoke-them-out/ 4/7
In 2021, Israel did two important things to combat the tunnels. First, they
bombed a portion of the tunnel network, destroying about 62 miles of it.
Second, Israel completed a 40-mile advanced wall around the Gaza border,
including underground barriers with many sensors and surveillance, to try and
thwart future tunnels into Israel at a cost of about a billion dollars. However,
Hamas overran the barrier on October 7, 2023, in a brutal surprise attack on
Simchat Torah that killed 1,400 Israelis and took over 240 hostages.
In the Vietnam War, the U.S. employed “tunnel rats,” who were small and wiry
soldiers who would attempt to infiltrate and clear the dark and claustrophobic
tunnels. Many died horrific deaths underground from deadly traps, venomous
snakes, and close-quarter hand-to-hand combat. Now, the IDF is up against
such tunnels that have many added modern features, like rail systems for
quickly moving rockets and other weapons to employ against Israel, as well as
electricity for lights and ventilation systems, as well as ample supplies of food,
water, fuel, and weapons.
Smoking Out the Terrorists and Rescuing the Hostages
In synagogue today, one of my neighbors said that Israel is going to flush the
Hamas terrorists out of the tunnels with water, similar to what Egypt did on
their border with Gaza previously. Of course, the complications with this or
using any other substance (e.g., flammable or explosive materials) to flood,
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5. 11/4/23, 10:14 PM Smoke Them Out | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/smoke-them-out/ 5/7
smoke out, implode or explode, or otherwise try to vacate or destroy the tunnels
are the hundreds of hostages that Hamas has dispersed and is holding down
there.
Another option is to pump some non-lethal but irritant or disabling chemicals
underground to flush out the terrorists. Of course, this would work better if the
terrorists either didn’t detect it (by smell, sight, or taste) or after they exhausted
their air supplies and/or the filters in their gas masks, so the chemical
infiltration would likely need to last for more than 24 hours. Another less
“irritating” option could be to use sleeping gas, hallucinogens, or other drugs to
dull, disorient, or deaden the terrorists from knowing what was going on or
being able to respond effectively. This would be an especially suitable response
since the Hamas terrorists were found to have used amphetamines (i.e.,
stimulants) to aid in their vile attack on Israelis earlier this month.
In the end, the IDF must kill and/or capture between 15 and 50 thousand Hamas
terrorists and their ring leaders that are hiding in or about the tunnels, destroy
their infrastructure, disable their mobility and ability to act, and most
importantly, rescue the hostages. The only way that I see this can be done is to
locate enough of the openings and “smoke out” the terrorists so they are
incapable of defending themselves or harming the hostages. This will need to be
done stealthily and at the time and place of the IDF’s choosing so they can
storm the tunnels quickly in an Entebbe-style raid, but on a scale never before
seen or even conceptualized in the history of warfare. With G-d’s help, Israel
will succeed!

6. 11/4/23, 10:14 PM Smoke Them Out | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/smoke-them-out/ 6/7
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andy Blumenthal is a dynamic, award-winning leader who writes frequently about Jewish life,
culture, and security. All opinions are his own.
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7. 11/4/23, 10:14 PM Smoke Them Out | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
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