'Sponge bombs': Israel's new weapon against Hamas

[{"selector":"#anim-09165bb7-cbf3-4684-999f-5ee8f7c5499e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-62.49267555365701%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0c3369c7-c18c-48e3-b051-66a55fd21ad3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d99426b1-943d-4ffd-a8de-e176b240d67f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(119.12751%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Day 21 of the Gaza conflict began when Hamas, unexpectedly attacked Israel across the border, killing over 1,400 people.

[{"selector":"#anim-cef7e38f-263d-4e8a-a3b3-394e64f56eeb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b1574ed2-16e8-4aab-b976-af46fa2d4926","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(116.77419%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b95f03b5-5240-4594-8c71-a369ba3876dc [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(33.863281152025415%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Israel has been bombing Gaza since the October 7 raid, which resulted in the deaths of over 7,000 Palestinians.

[{"selector":"#anim-99354cd2-b699-415c-9c2a-23d51b6f7a37","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a3e09b03-1bcb-4351-b218-92757b6f5be9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(111.31498%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bfae1b29-048d-4691-a7d7-c542c3db0fef [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-52.2166980791694%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] A deeper incursion into Gaza was carried out by the Israeli military on Friday in preparation for a ground invasion against Hamas.

[{"selector":"#anim-de278820-250f-47d2-957c-2aa62be5b708","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-688bfd98-7adf-467d-9db8-d615e346010c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.37500%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-69f6780d-64e8-4659-8ba6-2b37178acda8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-62.49267555365701%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] The vast Hamas tunnel network, where the terrorist organisation is alleged to have kidnapped many people, presents one of the Israeli army' toughest obstacles.

[{"selector":"#anim-7dd53e90-f84c-420b-9ac9-19ea491b7bf9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d43e4b72-3dca-4d84-bf33-0c3ff70f76cc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(122.22222%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b3e9a9f8-7ae6-4557-936d-a32f600a7dd5 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-42.87644264584204%, 0, 0) translate(4.545454545454547%, 1.647727630416379%) scale(0.9090909090909091)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] Israel is apparently producing "sponge bombs," which cause a brief explosion of foam that quickly expands and then hardens

[{"selector":"#anim-dd7361dd-1c32-471c-95b6-de6a5856dba9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c93439df-10bf-4723-a66d-df31acb9b2cc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(129.96109%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8c34a990-c7d6-4958-b3be-2eccabee5aa5 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-13.03681484034877%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] It is stated that these gadgets are housed in a plastic container for protection with a metal barrier separating two different liquids.

[{"selector":"#anim-529a6317-3319-406c-af22-538a846a268b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-427e0d69-865a-49bb-86e8-733184092506","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(129.96109%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-74e7a1a0-df8f-4c9b-a42f-110515ce3934 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-29.617527285056433%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] Upon activation, these liquids combine and move in the direction of their target.

[{"selector":"#anim-dc62bf28-5479-401d-82ca-730b042ea169","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-de414f2c-6aee-4d8f-8c6c-616214236d90","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(120.47782%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1abefff0-03a0-4864-85bb-0e1ce45d9492 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-48.733315387861126%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] In 2021, these devices were observed being used by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) during drills in a makeshift tunnel system close to the Gaza border.

[{"selector":"#anim-9e61b106-2072-4b5c-ab78-ad0fb6f3436a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a4835242-a150-4384-9469-b1c707542d53","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(127.50930%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0cbf08c4-c243-45b3-af47-3535a4645e97 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-43.03906245937405%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] Hamas was founded in Gaza in 1987, and it is believed that they first began building tunnels in the mid-1990s.

[{"selector":"#anim-c7ffb899-76d1-47ae-95f4-85517a7a7322","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-695aa0ca-0027-4c3d-891b-6671a57222a8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(121.60280%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-037b432c-c49f-454d-a637-d5edf941350d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-62.49267555365701%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] One of the main factors influencing Hamas's superiority in Gaza over the Israeli-occupied West Bank is the tunnel network.

[{"selector":"#anim-83fe517d-01c5-4699-9769-8d95db94349a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7ba34dcf-5ecc-47ad-a626-d8ceaa3c86c2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(121.60280%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dddf2d53-0928-4519-a469-e2839e691237 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-48.087499991118776%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] After Israel evacuated its settlers and soldiers from Gaza in 2005 and Hamas won an election in 2006, tunnelling became less difficult.