  A deep 75 ks {\it Chandra} ACIS--I data of NGC 2024 was analyzed, aiming at a
search for diffuse X-ray emission in this one of the most nearby (415 pc)
massive star-forming regions. After removing point sources, an extended
emission was detected in the central circular region with a radius of 0.5 pc.
It is spatially associated with the young massive stellar cluster. Its X-ray
spectrum exhibits a very hard continuum ($kT>8$ keV) and a sign of He-like Fe
K$_\alpha$ line with the 0.5--7 keV absorption corrected luminosity of
2$\times10^{31}$ \ergs. Undetected faint point sources, estimated from the
luminosity function of the detected sources, contribute less than 10% to this
emission. Hence the emission is truly diffuse in nature. Because of the
proximity of NGC 2024 and the long exposure, this discovery is one of the most
strong supports for the existence of the diffuse X-ray emission in massive
star-forming regions.
