Tel Aviv, Nov 20 (IANS): The Israel Defenses Force (IDF) on Sunday said that it has found a tunnel underneath the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza

“The tunnel was 55-meter-long and 10 meters deep underneath the Al-Shifa Hospital complex,” the IDF said.

The IDF said that a deep staircase leads to the entrance of the tunnel shaft, which consists of various defence materials including a blast-proof door and a firing hole.

“This type of door is used by the Hamas organisation to block Israeli forces from entering the command centers and the underground assets belonging to Hamas,” the IDF said.

It said that the tunnel shaft was uncovered in the area of the hospital underneath a shed alongside a vehicle containing numerous weapons including RPGs, explosives, and Kalashnikov rifles.

The IDF said that the findings clearly prove that numerous buildings in the hospital's complex are used by Hamas as cover for its operational infrastructure and activities.

“This is further evidence of the cynical manner Hamas uses the residents of the Gaza as a human shield for their activities,” the IDF said.