Gaza, Dec 4 (IANS): Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas which controls Gaza, has announced a detonation by its fighters of an underground tunnel opening where Israeli soldiers in the northern Gaza Strip were positioned.

Al-Qassam said in a statement on Sunday that they exploded the entrance of one of the tunnels at the east of Beit Lahia town after rigging it with shock and thunderous charges and luring the Israeli forces into the tunnel's entrance, Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army reported that it has discovered more than 800 underground tunnel openings affiliated with Hamas during its ground operations in the Gaza Strip since October.

Israeli army's Spokesman Avichay Adraee said on social media platform X that around 500 tunnels had been destroyed using various methods, including detonation and blocking, along with the destruction of dozens of kilometres of tunnel paths.

He added that tunnel openings were uncovered in civilian areas, with many found adjacent to or inside sensitive civilian structures, such as educational institutions, kindergartens, mosques, and children's playgrounds.