Israel begins flooding ‘Resistance’s tunnels’ in Gaza

Israeli occupation forces have begun flooding the tunnels constructed under the Gaza Strip by the Palestinian resistance with seawater from the Mediterranean.

According to the Wall Street Journal, citing information from US officials briefed on the Israeli military’s operations, the ongoing operation is in its initial phases, and the effectiveness of the strategy is still under consideration.

It added that this approach is just one among several being considered to address the tunnel issue. Other options under consideration include airstrikes, liquid explosives, and the deployment of dogs, drones, and robots within the network.

US President Joe Biden was questioned about the report yesterday during a press conference at the White House alongside Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky.

He said: “With regard to the flooding of the tunnels. There are assertions being made that there are no hostages in any of these tunnels, but I don’t know that for a fact. I do know that, though, every civilian death is an absolute tragedy, and Israel has stated its intent to match its words with actions.”

The Palestinian resistance in Gaza is holding 138 Israeli prisoners of war in unknown locations in Gaza, some are thought to be in tunnels built beneath the Strip’s cities.

American outlets reported last week that the Israeli army positioned five large water pumps near Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City last month, aiming to flood the tunnels by channelling thousands of cubic metres of water per hour into them.

READ: Israel installs pumps in Gaza to flood tunnels ‘no one has been in before’