Israel: Sea Water Pumping Test into Tunnels Successful; Hamas: Our Tunnels are Waterproof

While the Israeli army claims to have successfully conducted a test operation of pumping sea water into Hamas tunnels, Hamas asserts that the Gaza tunnels are waterproof and resistant to flooding. According to CNN, Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas spokesman, stated at a press conference in Beirut on Thursday, "The Gaza tunnels, built by trained and educated engineers, are an integral part of the resistance, and all potential consequences and attacks, including occupation and water pumping, have been considered." The Israeli army announced on Thursday, December 14, that it successfully conducted a test operation of pumping sea water into Hamas tunnels in the Gaza Strip with the aim of destroying Hamas's underground network of passageways and hideouts. Herzi Halevi, the Chief of Staff of the Israeli army, said last week that flooding the tunnels is "a good idea, but I will not comment on the details." According to CNN, Israeli officials have assured their American counterparts that this operation will only be conducted in tunnels where they are confident no hostages are being held. Daniel Hagari, a spokesman for the Israeli army, also stated that the army acts based on information regarding the locations of hostages and will not take actions that could harm them. Israeli officials claim that Hamas's extensive underground system plays a major role in their battlefield operations and is used for maneuvering fighters and storing missiles and ammunition. Israel also believes that some hostages are being held inside the tunnels. Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants killed at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack on Israel and took around 240 hostages, including children, women, and the elderly. Some hostages, except for 135 who are likely not alive, were released during a one-week ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan, Canada, Australia, and several other countries have classified Hamas as a terrorist organization. U.S. consultations with Israeli officials and regional countries for another humanitarian pause in the war with Hamas continue.