Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely and the IDF Spokespersons Unit gave foreign diplomats an overview of Hamas’ efforts to dig tunnels under the Israel-Gaza border.

Hotovely used the conference call, which took place on the heels of repeated IDF strikes against terror tunnels in recent months, including one on Sunday, to illustrate the threat that the tunnels present to Israeli civilians.

“The tunnel that the IDF demolished this week… was the latest Hamas attempt to recreate the tunnel reaching towards Kibbutz Kerem Shalom,” Hotovely told representatives of Russia, the European Union, Germany, Denmark, Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Belgium, Thailand, Nepal, Paraguay, Malta, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Angola, Argentina and Egypt. “Hamas is abandoning [its responsibility for] Gaza civilians and using international funding for terrorism against Israeli civilians.

“It is important to remember that Iran stands behind every Hamas action. The Iranian regime gives $100 million a year to Hamas, funds that go entirely to anti-Israel actions rather than to help the civilian population in Gaza,” Hotovely said.

Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus. the head of the International and Social Media Branch of the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, added an overview of IDF preparations for a planned march by Gaza civilians on the Israel border.

“We will not allow any harm to come to Israel’s security infrastructure or to IDF soldiers,” Conricus said.

“We must not support Hamas provocations,” Hotovely added. “Violent marches that are intended only to challenge Israel’s sovereignty should not be given international support. No support should be given to help the Gaza Strip without fighting Hamas and Iran.”