Terrorists emerged from a Gaza tunnel in Rafah, opening fire on Israeli troops in a blatant ceasefire breach, underscoring Hamas’s continued reliance on underground warfare and Israel’s determination to destroy the remaining terror infrastructure.

A Hamas attack launched from a Gaza tunnel on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, has sharply underscored the fragility of the current ceasefire and Israel’s longstanding warnings that the terror group has neither disarmed nor abandoned its underground war doctrine.

According to the Israel Defense Forces, armed terrorists emerged from a tunnel shaft in the Rafah sector of southern Gaza and opened fire on Israeli troops operating in the area. The soldiers responded immediately, killing the attackers. No Israeli casualties were reported.

The IDF described the incident as a clear and deliberate violation of the ceasefire framework that has been in place for several months. Military officials emphasized that the assault was not a spontaneous clash but a planned attack made possible by Hamas’s remaining tunnel network, much of which runs beneath civilian areas.

“This was a terrorist cell that exploited underground infrastructure to carry out an attack on our forces,” the IDF said in an official statement. “The soldiers acted decisively and eliminated the threat.”

The Rafah area has long been a focal point of Hamas tunnel activity. Despite sustained Israeli operations throughout the war and repeated claims by Hamas that it no longer poses a military threat, intelligence assessments have consistently warned that armed operatives remain hidden underground, waiting for opportunities to strike.

Tuesday’s attack reinforces those assessments. Israeli defense officials say the tunnel network is not merely a defensive shelter but a central component of Hamas’s strategy, enabling fighters to move unseen, store weapons, and stage surprise attacks even during periods of supposed calm.

The ceasefire itself was designed to halt large-scale hostilities following months of intense fighting, but it was never predicated on Israeli trust in Hamas’s intentions. Israeli leaders have repeatedly stressed that calm can only be sustained if Hamas’s military capabilities are dismantled, particularly its underground systems.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned in recent weeks that Israel would not tolerate “terror under cover of diplomacy,” signaling that any ceasefire violations would be met with force. Tuesday’s incident appears to validate that stance, as the IDF moved swiftly to neutralize the attackers without escalation beyond the immediate engagement.

From Israel’s perspective, the tunnel assault highlights a core strategic dilemma: Hamas continues to exploit pauses in fighting to test Israeli resolve while embedding itself deeper beneath Gaza’s civilian population. Military planners argue that as long as tunnels remain intact, Hamas retains the ability to initiate violence at a time of its choosing.

The attack is also likely to resonate beyond the battlefield. Israeli officials are expected to present the incident as evidence that Hamas cannot be treated as a conventional actor capable of honoring agreements. The use of tunnels during a ceasefire, they argue, exposes the group’s commitment to armed struggle rather than political compromise.

In southern Israel, communities near the Gaza border have followed the incident closely. Residents, many of whom were displaced during earlier phases of the war, have repeatedly demanded stronger guarantees that Hamas will not be allowed to regroup underground while diplomatic processes drag on.

For the IDF, operations against tunnel infrastructure remain a top priority. Military sources say engineering and intelligence units are continuing efforts to locate and destroy remaining shafts, particularly in Rafah, which has historically served as a hub for smuggling and militant movement.

Tuesday’s events serve as a stark reminder that despite battlefield losses, Hamas remains dangerous — not because of open formations or conventional strength, but because of its ability to hide, wait, and strike from below. For Israel, the message is equally clear: vigilance, deterrence, and the destruction of tunnel networks remain essential to preventing the next attack.