Israeli forces bury Hamas troops alive by sending them underground and blitzing tunnels

 ISRAELI forces buried Hamas enemies alive yesterday by tricking them into bolting underground — and then blitzing their network of tunnels.

Commanders tweeted that an attack on the Gaza Strip was under way at the same time that a bombardment from jets, tanks and gunboats erupted.

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A network of tunnels in Gaza were smashed by 450 missiles yesterdayCredit: Alamy

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Soldiers were pictured with shells of deadly weaponsCredit: AFP

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Israeli forces used this tweet to trick Hamas fighters into going undergroundCredit: TWITTER/Israel Defense Forces

Hamas fighters scurried to grab hidden weapons to prepare for an expected surge of Israeli troops.

But the tweet was fake, and devastating bunker-buster air strikes then rained down on 150 targets.

Scores are believed to have died as the tunnels, dubbed The Hamas Metro, were smashed by 450 missiles in 40 minutes. More than 160 aircraft led the assault and top brass announced a “complex” operation had been a success.

Hamas has launched more than 1,800 rockets from the blockaded Palestinian coastal strip this week.

Israeli tanks and soldiers are continuing to mass at the border and 9,000 reserve troops were drafted to support a planned ground offensive.

But Hamas fighters dug into defensive positions are certain to put up fierce resistance if such a misssion is launched — sparking fears of a bloodbath.

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Israel used a fake tweet to trick Hamas before bombarding themCredit: AFP

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Rockets in the sky in the Gaza StripCredit: AFP

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The terror tunnels were built by the Palestinians to gain access into Israel (Pictured in 2016)Credit: AFP

Israeli forces would face brutal house-to-house fighting and a deadly obstacle course of bombs and booby traps.

Meanwhile, Palestinian militants continued to fire volleys of rockets. Last night another 220 were unleashed, with Hamas boasting it had enough weapons stored to continue barrages for two months.

Israel has launched 600 air strikes, phoning warnings to enemy leaders to evacuate civilians minutes before entire tower blocks were felled. Several Hamas bigwigs have died.

The confirmed death toll stands at 119 Palestinians killed — including 31 children and 19 women, with 830 wounded.

Nine Israelis have been killed, including one soldier and a six-year-old boy.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a Hamas ceasefire offer made via Russia and warned strikes against the Jewish state’s Arab enemy would “increase in force”.

Street clashes between Jewish and Israeli-Arab mobs, who have previously lived side-by-side have flared up, increasing fears of all-out civil war.

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An Israeli F16 near the borderCredit: AFP

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Gaza Strip was hit with more than 1,000 missilesCredit: EPA

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The tunnels, run at depths of up to 130ft (Pictured in 2014)Credit: Reuters

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The death toll has is estimated to 119 PalestiniDefence minister Benny Gantz ordered a “massive reinforcement” of security to crack down on some of the worst internal unrest seen since Israel was founded 73 years ago.

Israeli president Reuven Rivlin even called a radio phone-in to issue an emotional appeal for calm.

He begged: “Please stop this madness.”an