How is the Iron Wall of Israel Breached by Hamas? Understand Every Bit of Detail

Saturday saw a complex and huge attack on Israel by Gaza Strip militants. The attack shook Israel. The people of Israel stood in terror by seeing fighters easily combatting the most advanced security systems in the world.

The brutal attack killed over 900 people in Israel. Another 2,600 people were left wounded. The number of people taken captive touched a century. Moreover, Gaza has been hit by Israel with massive airstrikes, which further led to the demise of over 680 people, as per the Palestinian authorities.

There is a smart fence that demarcates the separation between Israel and Gaza. The fence is equipped with advanced technology, which is designed in such a smart way that it is capable of any security breach. Here is all you need to know about how the militants got through.

ALSO READ: What is Hamas and it's role in Israel- Palestine Conflict?

The "iron wall" and the "smart fence"

In the year 2021, Israel proudly declared the completion of the "smart fence". The fence is actually a barricade, as long as 40 miles, along the Gaza Strip.

In the year 2016, the project was publicly announced when Hamas made use of the underground tunnels for the purpose of attacking the Israeli forces in the war in 2014. It needed over 140,000 tons of steel and iron or even more. The installation of hundreds of radars, sensors, and cameras was also needed. Surrounding the fence was some access on the Gaza side given to farmers on foot. On the other side of the fence, that is on the side of Israel, dunes and observation towers were stationed in place for the purpose of keeping a look at intruders and threats.

Benny Gantz was the Defense Minister in those times. In the year 2021, the Defense Minister stated that the barrier put an "iron wall" between southern Israel and Hamas.

However, on Saturday, a set of coordinated attempts made it possible for Hamas to easily get past the wall. As per the Israel Defense Forces, the fence was breached at a total of 29 points. There were guard towers by Israel stationed every 500 feet across the perimeter of the wall at a few points, but there were not many problems faced by the fighters.

The staff at the border at that time was minimal. Well, a majority of the military of Israel was focused on the unrest in the West Bank.

The Director of the counterterrorism program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy stated that the parts of the system that offered warnings and indicators were actually the most compelling ones. “But once you don’t see in advance that someone is massed at the fence, it’s still just a fence. A big fence, but just a fence,” the Director added.

ALSO READ: Explained: What is Hezbollah and why is it raining down rockets on Israel?

Here's how the explosives were dropped

With the use of commercial drones, the observation towers in Israel were bombed by Hamas. The weapons system at the border and the communications infrastructure were bombed in a similar manner.

The rockets

As per Israel, more than 3,000 rockets were fired by Hamas into Israel. Some of these robust rockets reached Jerusalem and Tel Aviv as well, as per Israel. The fan-powered hang gliders aided the militants in flying across the border.

The explosives

Robust explosives were used by the militants to devastate sections of the barrier. These gaps were driven by men on motorbikes.

How did the larger vehicles enter

That's when bulldozers helped. These widened the gap, making space for huge vehicles to enter.

Was that a plan made overnight?

Not at all. According to experts, the preparation of the attack may have required several weeks.

ALSO READ: What is the Iron Dome of Israel? How Does the Dome Obstruct Rockets?

ALSO READ: What are the international reactions to the recent Israel-Palestine conflict?