• Israel plans to demolish Hamas tunnels after hostages are freed.
• The operation will be conducted under US supervision as part of a ceasefire agreement.
• Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz emphasizes the tunnels' destruction as a major challenge.
• The ceasefire includes a release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
• Over 67,600 Palestinian lives have reportedly been lost due to the conflict since October 2023.

Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz announced plans to destroy the network of Hamas tunnels in Gaza after the release of hostages, with US support. This operation is set to take place under an "international mechanism" that involves the United States, which is facilitating a ceasefire that has been in effect since Friday. "Israel's great challenge after the hostage release phase will be the destruction of all Hamas terrorist tunnels in Gaza," Katz stated recently, emphasizing the mission's urgent nature, according to Channel News Asia.

Katz's orders follow a ceasefire deal that involves the release of 48 Israeli hostages, in exchange for 250 "national security prisoners" held by Israel and approximately 1,700 Palestinian detainees. Senior Hamas official Hossam Badran confirmed this arrangement, although he indicated that there are "many complexities and difficulties" in adhering to the terms of disarmament outlined in the US plan, as mentioned by India Times and Anadolu Agency.

Netanyahu has indicated that Israeli forces will maintain their presence in Gaza to ensure pressure on Hamas continues until disarmament is achieved. The destruction of these tunnels is vital to the disarmament process as claimed by Katz, who noted that many tunnels have previously been dismantled during the ongoing conflict. Israeli military forces have even targeted hospitals during the war under the belief that they are used by Hamas for military operations, according to India Times, TRT World, and Anadolu Agency.