Israel is planning to build a massive concrete wall which will extend underground along the Gaza Strip border, Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper has revealed. The barrier is aimed at combating the threat posed by Hamas tunnels crossing into Israel from Gaza.

The wall, which will stretch along the 96km (60 mile) border around the Gaza Strip, will extend several dozen meters below the ground, as well as be built above the ground. It is estimated to cost US$568 million.

The aim of the wall is to tackle Hamas tunnels. The project was cleared for publication by Israeli military censor, according to Ynet.

Israel looking to build a wall above and below ground to deter Gaza tunnels https://t.co/ndG7nJmWqs

— Gil (@GilAllcar) June 16, 2016

In February, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to build barriers to “defend ourselves against wild beasts.”

He added, “We are preparing a multi-year project to encircle Israel with a security fence, to defend ourselves in the Middle East as it is now, and as it is expected to be”.

The wall will be the third system of its kind to be erected along the border, the first of which was constructed in 1994, following the Oslo Accords. The second was built following Israel’s decision to ‘disengage’ from Gaza in 2005. However, neither system proved successful to quell Palestinian resistance.

Whoa. https://t.co/qodZ0Srkwn

— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) June 17, 2016

Hamas and other Palestinian Resistance factions have previously used tunnels to fight Israeli occupation soldiers as they tried to penetrate the Gaza border.

Netanyahu stated that, “At the end, in the State of Israel, as I see it, there will be a fence that spans it all”, reported RT.

This news came just one day after a senior Defense Ministry official said that Israel has “no desire to rule over Gaza, and as long as there is no alternative government there, we have no business being there…but on the other hand, we cannot conduct a constant war of attrition”, RT stated.

(PC, RT)