Jerusalem ( CNN ) -- A tunnel from Gaza into Israel was discovered by the Israeli military last week , the Israel Defense Forces said Sunday . In response , Israel said it was halting supplies for concrete and construction materials going into Gaza . The tunnel is roughly 18 meters ( 59 feet ) underground and stretches for some 1.7 kilometers ( 1.06 miles ) . In video that Israel 's Channel 10 aired , the tunnel appeared to be wired for electricity and was high enough for a man to stand , walk or run though . An Israeli reporter who was inside the tunnel reported seeing markings and dates indicating the tunnel had been completed in July . The Israeli military said the most likely use for such a tunnel would be to kidnap soldiers or civilians and take them back into Gaza to trade for Palestinian prisoners . A similar tunnel was used to kidnap soldier Gilad Shalit in June 2006 . His capture ended five years later after Israel released more than a thousand Palestinian prisoners . The new tunnel increases concerns on the Israeli side for its sheer size and sophistication . It is the third such tunnel found along the Gaza-Israel security fence in the past year , according to the military . `` The IDF operates under the notion that there are additional tunnels jeopardizing civilians and security personnel in the area , '' Brig . Gen. Mickey Edelstein , commander of the Gaza division , said in a statement . Gaza group claims responsibility for car bomb in Egypt . Frum : Real lesson of Yom Kippur War ? Israel 's survival . 10 things to know before visiting Israel , the West Bank and Gaza .
The tunnel is nearly 60 feet underground and more than a mile long . It is the third such tunnel found in the past year , IDF says .