Israel Considering Flooding Hamas Tunnel System Before Ground Operation - Hersh
25.10.2023 11:13
Israel Considering Flooding Hamas Tunnel System Before Ground Operation - Hersh
Photo: AP Photo / Adel Hana
"A well-informed American official told me that the Israeli leadership is known to be considering flooding Hamas's vast tunnel system before sending in its troops, many of whom have had only a few weeks of training in the maneuvers and coordination required for the invasion," Hersh said in his column published on Substack.
Hersh said Israel is in the process of turning Gaza City into rubble, via constant bombing, and is also planning to begin the ground invasion soon.
Flooding the tunnels could mean that Israel was ready to "write off the hostages still in jeopardy," Hersh said.
"Where the estimated 200-plus hostages are is an open question. Israel is only talking about the end of the Hamas regime and Hamas has so far released four hostages," Hersh said. "The American official told me that the Israel leadership expects more to come soon."
Earlier on Tuesday, Israel’s Deputy Director General for Public Diplomacy Emmanuel Nahshon said that Israel is delaying the start of the ground invasion in Gaza due to possible "deadly traps."
The Israeli military is taking its time as it needs to prepare its soldiers for this unique situation, Nahshon added.
Hersh further indicated the al-Aqsa Martyrs brigade joined the Qassam brigades - the military wing of Hamas - in the attack on Israeli kibbutzim and villages on October 7.
On the day of the attack on Israel, the Qassam brigades were not alone and were actually joined by al-Aqsa Martyrs brigades, a coalition of Palestinian armed groups that has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Israel, the European Union and others, the article said on Tuesday, citing a US official.
"We know," Hersch cited the official as saying, "that the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade participated."
The participation of outside groups on Hamas' side in the attack on Israel was likely one of the reasons why secret talks about a larger release of Israeli hostages were never successful, according to Hersh.
On October 7, the Palestinian group Hamas launched surprise attacks against Israel from the Gaza Strip. Israel declared war on Hamas and launched strikes as well as imposed a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip, cutting off supplies of water, food, medicines, electricity and fuel to some 2.3 million Palestinians.
The escalation of the conflict has resulted in the killing of 1,200 Israeli soldiers and civilians and some 5,000 Palestinians with multiple thousands of injured.