Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz visits the newly completed underground barrier along the Gaza Strip frontier in Erez, southern Israel, December 7, 2021. REUTERS/Ammar Awad

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz and IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi on Tuesday inaugurated the newly completed defense barrier between southern Israel and the Gaza Strip, calling it an “iron wall” to better secure residents from the threat of terrorism.

The barrier, which replaces a previous security fence, began construction following Israel 2014 conflict with Hamas, during which a large number of attack tunnels were discovered beneath the fence.

The Ministry of Defense said the new barrier has five components: an underground wall with sensors to prevent tunneling; a surface wall over 20 feet high; a sea barrier with a remote-controlled weapons system; radar, cameras, and other equipment to detect ground and aerial threats; and an array of command and control rooms to coordinate a response to any threats.

“The barrier, which is an innovative and technologically advanced project, deprives Hamas of one of the capabilities it tried to develop, and places an ‘iron wall,’ sensors and concrete between the terror organization and the residents of Israel’s south,” Gantz said at the unveiling.

“This barrier will provide Israeli citizens a sense of security and will enable this beautiful region to continue developing and flourishing,” he asserted.

“Routine life here [in southern Israel], is our victory, and it is the greatest threat to terrorist organizations,” Gantz continued. “We will continue to maintain our readiness to thwart any attempt to harm Israeli citizens, with an emphasis on rocket attacks from Gaza. We will also prevent the transfer of Iranian know-how and technology to Gaza, and will continue thwarting any attempt by Hamas to operate its affiliates in Judea and Samaria or anywhere in Israel.”

Over 1,200 workers were involved in building the 40-mile-long barrier, employing 140,000 tons of iron and steel.

Speaking at the inauguration Tuesday, Kochavi said that the project showed out-of-the-box thinking and also dubbed it “the iron wall of our defense strategy.”

“It changes the reality,” he said, according to Israel’s Kan broadcaster. “What came before it will not occur again.”

Brig. Gen. Eran Ofir, who commanded the construction of the barrier, called it “one of the most complicated projects that has ever been built.”

“There is no other place in the world where they built an underground barrier,” Ofir said. “We worked under fire, and we almost never stopped unless they really shot at us.”