TEHRAN – When Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz admitted that 60 percent of Hamas’s tunnels in Gaza remain intact, he unintentionally confirmed what many have long suspected — Israel has failed to achieve its primary military objectives in Gaza.

After two years of brutal conflict, Israel claimed it had dismantled Hamas’s capabilities and destroyed the vast tunnel network known as the “Gaza Metro.”

Katz’s statement proves otherwise. If most of the tunnels still exist, Israel’s campaign — despite widespread destruction — has fallen short.

Israel launched its war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, vowing to eliminate Hamas and erase its underground network. Since then, over 68,500 Palestinians have been killed, and entire neighborhoods flattened. Yet, two years later, the tunnels persist. This means Hamas’s main line of defense and movement remains functional.

In a post on X, Katz acknowledged that destroying the tunnels has now become the army’s “central mission.” The Gaza Metro represents not just a tactical advantage, but the determination of a people who have endured years of siege and bombardment.

The tunnel’s continued operation highlights a deeper truth: Israel’s war has not met its objectives. It has devastated civilians, destroyed infrastructure, and inflicted unimaginable suffering — yet it has not defeated Hamas. Instead, the conflict has reinforced Palestinian unity and strengthened the belief that resistance, both above and below ground, is essential for survival.

Katz’s new focus on the tunnels shows that even after the October 2025 ceasefire, repeatedly violated by Israel, Zionist leaders are searching for new objectives to justify their campaign after failing to deliver the “total victory” they promised.

For Palestinians, the enduring Gaza Metro stands as living proof that the resistance — and Gaza itself — has survived everything Israel has thrown at it.