
Hamas tunnels in Gaza Archives AFP photo
In a move that could simultaneously dismantle militant infrastructure and pose an environmental risk, Israel has reportedly begun pumping seawater through a system of large pumps, in an attempt to flood the extensive Hamas tunnel network underneath the Gaza Strip, American officials told The Wall Street Journal.
Located about one kilometer north of the Al-Shati refugee camp, at least five pumps have the capacity to draw water from the Mediterranean Sea and funnel thousands of cubic meters per hour into the tunnels, potentially flooding them within a matter of weeks.
According to the WSJ, the tunnel flooding has now begun. The Israeli army believes the tunnels are used to store munitions and, potentially, hostages. More than 200 hostages were taken by Palestinian militants during attacks on Oct. 7 and subsequently brought into Gaza. 135 hostages remain in Gaza, though Israel claims that 19 have been killed, after 105 civilians were released from Hamas captivity during a weeklong truce in late November – according to The Times of Israel.
Previously the WSJ had reported that informed discussions had happened between Israel and the United States, where they weighed up the military benefits of disabling the tunnels against the possible feasibility and environmental implications. A spokesperson for the Israeli defense minister declined to comment, saying the tunnel operations are classified.
In a White House press conference on Tuesday US President, Joe Biden, commented on reports of Israel’s flooding of the tunnels saying that assertions have been made that “there are no hostages in any of these tunnels…But I don’t know that for a fact" - the US newspaper reports.
The effectiveness of the seawater pumping strategy is still in question. An insider familiar with the proposal stated, "It is impossible to know if the pumping will be effective because we don't know how the seawater will flow through tunnels that no one has ever entered before."
An Israeli military official declined to comment on the flood plan but emphasized that the military is committed to dismantling Hamas's capabilities using various military and technological tools.
Hamas has utilized the vast network of tunnels to hide, move undetected between Gaza homes, and hold hostages. Some of the more sophisticated tunnels, built with reinforced concrete and containing electrical and communication lines, are tall enough for an average-sized person to stand upright.
This article originally appeared in French in L'Orient-Le Jour.