NewsNation National Correspondent Robert Sherman has found himself on the frontlines of some of the world’s biggest stories: from Ukraine to Israel and across the United States. He shares what he’s seeing on the ground. Subscribe to his newsletter: Frontlines with Robert Sherman here.

A labyrinth. A subway system. Arteries. Veins. All have been used to describe Hamas’ intricate tunnel network that has captured the interest of the globe. 

85-year-old Yocheved Lifshitz, one of the first Israeli hostages to be released, described it as a spider web. She would know: that’s where Hamas kept her while she was held in captivity. 

WATCH: NewsNation Goes Inside Hamas Tunnel

The IDF has been contending Hamas has built a tunnel matrix that spans hundreds of miles underground. An effective “underworld” where Hamas can hide, move weapons, shift fighters, and govern the Gaza Strip. In the past we’ve heard the IDF say Hamas has whole command centers beneath the surface. 

At face value, it’s somewhat hard to believe. It feels like something out of a fiction novel.

That’s how I felt until I saw it for myself. 

TIKTOK: Largest Tunnel Found by IDF

Our NewsNation team walked through the Erez Crossing into Gaza and was led to the largest tunnel the IDF has found since the war began. Remarkably, it wasn’t even a quarter of a mile away from the Israeli border. A massive tunnel right on Israel’s doorstep; nobody can believe it. 

We arrived at the tunnel complex and immediately were taken aback by the magnitude. The mouth of the tunnel was at least ten feet tall. You could easily drive a car through there — maybe even a midsize truck or van. 

We began our descent inside the tunnel. I couldn’t help but notice how steep it was as we left the surface and entered the so-called “under city.” At certain parts of this tunnel, it reached 50 yards underground. 

Upon making it to the bottom, I looked back up at the mouth of the tunnel. The sun seemed so distant and out of reach. Aside from a few lights set up and the illumination of our cell phones, it was pitch dark. The air had that musky, stale scent as the walls felt damp to the touch. 

WATCH: South African lawyers say Israel is committing genocide in Gaza

Everything was made of concrete. It took years and millions of dollars to build this tunnel — and Hamas didn’t exactly go to great lengths to keep it a secret. The group documented the construction along the way. 

Frankly, it didn’t seem like something built by a group considered a terrorist organization. Standing there, it felt like we were in the sewer systems of a country in the Western world. 

The ceiling had a large pipe running the entire length that was used for ventilation. Dangling right next to the pipe were power lines. The tunnel, more than two miles long, even had electric capabilities. 

WATCH: Hostages fear IDF flooding Hamas tunnels could risk lives

The tunnel stretched all the way into the heart of Gaza. While the IDF announced they have wrapped up the intense operations in this part of the Gaza Strip, they told us they couldn’t guarantee threats didn’t exist. As such, there was a team of soldiers guarding the opposite end of the tunnel for fear there may be Hamas members still inside they had missed. 

What we saw is just a small portion of the tunnels inside Gaza. As much of the fighting is currently taking place in the Khan Younis area, the Israelis say there are many tunnels they haven’t even begun to dismantle yet that are posing challenges.

Words can only do this particular story justice. I hope you’ll watch the video below.

WATCH: Inside look at captured Hamas tunnels: ‘Dark and damp labyrinth with no end in sight’

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of NewsNation.