Israel Floods Hamas Tunnel Network In Gaza Strip, What Will Happen To The Hostages?

Israeli Army in Gaza (Source: Israel Defense Forces)

JAKARTA - The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that every operational tactic they took was based on intelligence information regarding the location of the hostages, as they began conducting trials to flood the tunnel network belonging to Hamas militants in Gaza, which also attracted the attention of the United States.

Israel has begun trials to flood Gaza's network of underground tunnels, along with new tactics to combat the militant group.

Last week, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said flooding Hamas' tunnel network was a "good idea" but would not comment further.

"Hamas, especially its senior members, chose to hide underground. This is Hamas' method of operation, hiding while using civilians above them as human shields," explained IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, quoted from The Times of Israel, December 15.

Considering that there are still hostages on the Hamas side, the strategy to flood the tunnel raises concerns that the hostages will be affected.

"The army is operating based on the intelligence they have regarding the location of the hostages and will not take action that is detrimental to them," said IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, responding to concerns about the whereabouts of the hostages.

Quoting CNN, Israel said it had informed Washington that it had begun "carefully testing" flooding some Hamas tunnels with seawater "on a limited basis", to assess whether the operation could be scaled up to disable the Palestinian militant group's tunnel network on a larger scale.

Israeli officials have assured Uncle Sam that they only do this in tunnels where they are sure no hostages are being held.

According to a previous report by The Wall Street Journal, this tactic received a mixed response among US President Joe Biden's administration. Some expressed concern, while others said they supported Israel's efforts to destroy the tunnels.

"In regards to flooding the tunnels, there have been statements made that there are no hostages in any of these tunnels, but I don't know that for a fact," President Biden said when asked about the matter on Tuesday.

It is known that there are still more than 130 Israeli hostages being held in the Palestinian enclave.

Hamas itself, in a statement from a spokesperson from Beirut, Lebanon, said that their tunnel network was built by experts taking into account various possible attacks, including pumping water to flood the tunnels.