Israel’s forces have been battling Hamas gunmen inside their vast tunnel network beneath Gaza, its military has said.

“Over the last day, combined IDF combat forces struck approximately 300 targets, including anti-tank missile and rocket launch posts below shafts, as well as military compounds inside underground tunnels belonging to the Hamas terrorist organisation,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.

Clearing the terrorists from the tunnels is a key objective for Israel as it expands its ground operation inside Gaza to wipe out Hamas.

It comes after Israeli special forces rescued a female soldier held hostage by Hamas during a raid in Gaza on Monday.

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