The Israeli military has embarked on a bold operation to pour seawater into Hamas's vast network of tunnels aimed at destroying the group's underground infrastructure. This news was revealed by Wall Street** on December 12 and immediately attracted widespread attention from the international community.
According to the United States**, which is familiar with Israel's actions, this mission is still in its early stages, but the Israeli army has already begun to carry it out. It is said that flooding the tunnels could take weeks, and the Israeli military has added two more pumps to the five installed last month, and after some preliminary testing, officially began flooding.
A spokesman for the Israeli defense minister was silent on the matter, declaring it a classified operation. They noted that Hamas's tunnel system has been at the heart of its military operations, being used to dispatch fighters, store ammunition and enable the leadership to command effectively.
Reports that some hostages may be being held in Hamas tunnels make the operation fraught with complexity and risk. It is worth mentioning that Hamas has issued a warning that if Israel does not engage in a hostage exchange or negotiation, then it should not expect the hostages to return safely.
Biden of the United States expressed concern about this matter at a press conference with Zelensky of Ukraine. When asked by a reporter about Israel's seawater flooding operation, Biden said: "I can't make assumptions about the flooding of tunnels, but I know that every civilian death is an absolute tragedy." ”
However, this decision has sparked controversy in the international community. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heard angry voices from his own people in the country in a leaked recording last week, who feared that the action could endanger their loved ones in the tunnels. Netanyahu was forced to face domestic and foreign skepticism, justifying the action and assuring the people that all necessary measures were taken to ensure the safety of civilians.
In addition, some of Biden's ** have also expressed concern that the use of seawater may not work well and may even endanger fresh water in Gaza**. This has raised concerns about the humanitarian crisis that the operation could cause, especially when Egypt used seawater to flood tunnels along the border crossing with Gaza in 2015, severely damaging the crops of nearby farmers.
The groundwater war has sparked discussion and concern around the world, with the international community calling on all parties to resolve their differences through dialogue and negotiation to avoid escalating tensions while ensuring the safety of civilians. The follow-up to this decision will be the focus of global attention and will test States' positions and resolve in conflict resolution and the protection of human rights.