Israel is making preparations to pump seawater into Hamas’ network of tunnels beneath the Gaza Strip in order to flood them, according to reports.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have reportedly constructed several large seawater pumps, located about a mile north of the Al-Shati refugee camp, which can each pump thousands of cubic feet of water from the Mediterranean Sea into the tunnels per hour. This could result in the tunnels flooding within a matter of weeks.
US officials were informed of these plans by Israel in early November, although it is uncertain when or if the Israeli government will carry them out. Sources are concerned about the effectiveness of this plan, with concerns about the drainage of seawater in unexplored tunnels and the potential impact on water and sewage infrastructure, groundwater reserves, and the stability of nearby buildings.