The terror tunnel discovered by the IDF, October 7th, 2013. Photo: IDF.

The Hamas military wing acknowledged on Sunday that it was responsible for digging the massive 2.5 kilometer (1.5 mile) tunnel from Gaza leading to an Israeli kibbutz.

In a radio report on Hamas radio station al-Aqsa, Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida stated that the movement’s armed brigades “dug the tunnel, they were responsible for it.”

“This tunnel was made by the hand of the fighters of (Izzadine) al-Qassam and they will not sleep in their efforts to hit the occupation and kidnap soldiers,” Abu Obeida said, referring to the tunnel as the “Khan Younis tunnel,” named after the coastal territory in which it was found.

The Hamas spokesman stated that the group was actively planning to kidnap more Israeli soldiers in order to gain the release of Palestinian prisoners. “We are working on the ground and under the ground to release the prisoners [held by Israel]. Kidnapping soldiers is the only way to succeed against the occupation,” Abu Obeida was reported as saying in an Al Jazeera news report.

Israel freed approximately 1,400 Palestinian terrorists and inmates in exchange for Gilad Shalit’s release. Among the first group of 477 Palestinian terrorists released, Hamas military chief Ahmed Jabari then stated that those Palestinian prisoners had collectively been responsible for killing 569 Israeli civilians.