Tel Aviv, Feb 4 (IANS): The Israel Defense Forces (IDF ) in a statement said that soldiers of its 5th Reserve Brigade combat team have destroyed a tunnel shaft that led to a Hamas hideout apartment.

The IDF soldiers operating in northern Gaza under Division 162's command discovered and destroyed the hideout apartment, which also contained an underground elevator.

The Israeli Air Force also participated in the demolition of the tunnel shaft that took place in the al-Shati neighborhood in the Gaza Strip, the IDF statement said.

The soldiers of the 5th Reserve Brigade combat team also located many weapons and intelligence documents.

While the intelligence documents were confiscated, weapons that include arms and rocket launchers were destroyed.

The soldiers were also stationed in defense missions in the surrounding area and later fought in the depths of the Strip as well.

The IDF statement said that 5th Brigade's combat team has now completed its mission and will be replaced by other brigade in the area.

Ever since the Hamas swarmed into southern Israel on October 7 slaughtering 1,200 people including women, old, sick and children, the Israel army is fighting a war in Gaza strip against Hamas in which 224 IDF soldiers have been killed. The Israeli government has vowed that they would eradicate Hamas from Gaza for ever.

In the ongoing war, more than 26,000 Palestinians including women, children, old and sick, have been killed.