The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have confirmed that they are employing a controversial tactic of flooding Hamas’ underground tunnel network with seawater. The IDF stated that they have developed and are utilizing various tools to inject high-flow water into the tunnels in the Gaza Strip. However, not all tunnels are being targeted as the military acknowledges that it could cause unacceptable damage in certain areas.
The flooding operation, which began with the installation of high-flow pumps late last year, has expanded with the addition of another pump in the city of Khan Younis. Despite these efforts, between 60% and 80% of the underground network remains intact.
Concerns have been raised about the potential contamination of Gaza’s limited freshwater resources due to the use of seawater. Prior to the conflict, the majority of the enclave’s drinking water came from groundwater wells.
The families of the approximately 132 hostages still held by Hamas are concerned about the potential danger that flooding the tunnels could pose to their loved ones. During meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in December, former hostages expressed their fear that the flooding would essentially be a death sentence for those who were left behind. These concerns were documented in audio recordings that were published by the Hebrew news site Ynet.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have stated that they are conducting thorough checks to ensure that the operation does not contaminate groundwater sources.
However, it is unclear whether the potential harm to the hostages was taken into consideration when deciding which tunnels to flood.
Israeli tanks and troops have been present in Gaza since late October, and while the Palestinian death toll has risen to nearly 27,000, US officials estimate that the IDF has only eliminated a fifth of Hamas’ fighters after almost four months of fighting. On Wednesday, the IDF reported the deaths of three Israeli soldiers, bringing the total number of Israeli casualties in Gaza since October to 224.
