IDF permanently seals 16-km Hamas tunnel where Hadar Goldin was held

The IDF Southern Command, in coordination with the Yahalom special engineering unit and Shayetet 13, has finalized the neutralization of one of the most extensive tunnel systems discovered in the Rafah sector. To ensure the permanent closure of the 16-kilometer network, combat engineers utilized more than 30,000 cubic meters of concrete over a three-month operation. Lt. Hadar Goldin, whose remains were held within this facility, was eventually returned to Israel for burial in November 2025.

According to material reviewed by The Zioneer, the complex served as a strategic command-and-control center for Hamas. The facility included approximately 80 living quarters and was utilized by the commander of Hamas’s Rafah Brigade to direct terrorist operations. The network was located near the Philadelphi Corridor and ran beneath sensitive civilian sites, including residential neighborhoods, mosques, kindergartens, and an UNRWA clinic.

The completion of this engineering project marks a significant step in dismantling the subterranean infrastructure of the Rafah Brigade. By permanently blocking this artery, the IDF aims to prevent the remnants of Hamas forces in the area from utilizing the tunnels for tactical maneuvers or command activities. The military released 3D illustrations and footage of Yahalom operators inside the shafts to provide visual confirmation of the scale of the neutralized threat.