Eight Hamas terrorists were reported missing on Wednesday after a tunnel collapsed in northern Gaza following several days of heavy rain and flooding. 

“The resistance tunnel collapsed last night due to the weather and flooding,” a Palestinian security source told AFP, adding that the tunnel belonged to Hamas, the Islamist terror group that rules Gaza. 

“There were 11 resistance men inside. Three of them escaped in the first hour after the accident, but the security operation… continues to search for the eight others.”

The report, which indicates Hamas is working to rebuild its network of terror tunnels into Israeli territory, was confirmed by the group’s armed wing, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades. 

Hamas said it lost contact with one of its units of “tunnel fighters” after the collapse but that it was continuing to search for those missing. 

Israel asserts that in the aftermath of Operation Protective Edge, Hamas has begun efforts to restore its military capability by building tunnels into Israeli territory as well as replenishing its arsenal of rockets. 

Both the tunnels and rockets would almost certainly be used to carry out fresh attacks against Israeli citizens. 

The IDF says there is a probability of a future conflict in Gaza, but estimated this would only occur following a miscalculation of Israeli tactics or as a “no-choice” move by Hamas to force a change in Gaza. 

Earlier this week, a rocket was fired from Gaza into Israel, exploding in an open area near the border. No injuries were reported.