Israeli military mum over reports it has begun pumping seawater into Gaza tunnels

By Enes Canli

JERUSALEM (AA) - The Israeli army remains tight-lipped over recent reports that it has begun pumping seawater into a tunnel network in Gaza allegedly used by the Palestinian group Hamas.

Earlier, The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials briefed on Israeli military operations, said the move to flood the tunnels with water from the Mediterranean Sea is part of a broader strategy employed by Israel to destroy the tunnels.

In a teleconference press briefing, a senior official from the Israeli army answered questions on the report.

Citing an inability to disclose operational specifics, the official underscored the Israeli army's longstanding efforts in developing tactical options related to tunnels. He noted that numerous methods exist to neutralize the tunnels.

Asked whether the Israeli army has begun flooding or plans to flood any underground tunnels, he reiterated recent statements by Israeli army Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi but refrained from providing details.

Earlier, Halevi called flooding the tunnels “a good idea.”

Israeli captives released by Hamas in Gaza said they stayed in the subterranean passages.

Experts caution that flooding the region's tunnels with seawater could result in irreversible environmental damage.

Israel believes the underground system has been key to Hamas’s operations on the battlefield.

Israel has bombarded the Gaza Strip from the air and land, imposed a siege and mounted a ground offensive in retaliation for a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 18,608 Palestinians have since been killed and almost 50,600 others injured in Israeli attacks, according to Gaza’s health authorities.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stands at 1,200, while around 139 hostages remain in captivity, according to official figures.