Israel constructing underground wall to block 'attack tunnels'

Israel has begun building an underground wall around Gaza to stop Hamas so-called attack tunnels, Israeli media and a local council official said on Thursday.

"Construction has begun along all towns considered to be next to the fence with Gaza," the Ynet news website reported.

It posted a video appearing to show heavy machinery operating along the border.

The defence ministry has reportedly been planning an underground structure around the Palestinian coastal enclave to prevent tunnels being dug into Israel, though the government has neither confirmed nor denied this.

According to Ynet, the barrier would have sensors to detect digging and eventually run the length of the 60-kilometre Gaza border.

Gadi Yarkoni, head of Eshkol Regional Council along the border with Gaza confirmed on Thursday that works had begun along the border, without giving any detail.

The defence ministry declined to comment.

The Islamist movement Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, used underground tunnels crossing the border to carry out surprise attacks in its last war with Israel in 2014.

In July, Hamas leader Salah al-Bardawil told The New Arab that Israeli attempts to protect its settlements and towns were "delusional".

"The Palestinian resistance will spare no means to fight the occupation, despite all measures along the border zone to tackle the resistance's tunnels," Bardawil said, vowing that the struggle with Israel would continue as long as its occupation exists.

Israel has described the tunnels as a strategic threat and Hamas has repeatedly said it is building new tunnels to be used for its defence.

Twice this year, Israel has announced the discovery of tunnels reaching across the border, with the second occasion in May leading to the worst flare-up of violence since the 2014 war.

The Gaza Strip has been under an Israeli blockade for around a decade and its border with Egypt also remains largely closed.

Agencies contributed to this report.