The UN Human Rights Council tweeted a condemnation of Israel’s plan to flood the tunnels used by Hamas to launch terrorist attacks on Israel.

“Israel’s flooding of tunnels with saltwater could have severe adverse human rights impacts, some long term,” the UN Human Rights Council tweeted last week. “Goods indispensable to civilian survival could also be at risk, as well as widespread, long-term & severe environmental damage. Civilians must be protected.”

Stating that the flooding could endanger “goods indispensable to civilian survival” is a tacit admission that much of the humanitarian aid passing into Gaza ends up in the hands of Hamas to aid their terrorist efforts.

An op-ed in the Eurasia Review journal was critical of the IDF plan, claiming “seawater and hazardous substances” could seep into Gaza’s aquifer, implying that Hamas is storing massive amounts of explosives under population centers. The article also claimed that destroying the Hamas tunnels would “have profound social impacts on the people of Gaza”.

“The tunnels are not only a source of survival but also of identity, dignity and hope for many Gazans who view them as a symbol of their resilience, ingenuity, and defiance,” the op-ed claimed. “Flooding the tunnels could affect the social fabric, cohesion and morale of Gaza’s society, which is already fragmented and traumatized by war, violence and displacement. It could also affect the mental health, well-being and coping mechanisms of Gaza’s population especially the children and youth, who make up about half of the population.”

“Flooding the tunnels with seawater could violate the ethical principles and values of human rights, justice, and dignity which are enshrined in international law and conventions. The tunnels have been used to assert and defend the rights and interests of the people of Gaza, who are subjected to occupation, oppression, and discrimination by Israel and its allies. This Flooding could also challenge the ethical norms and standards of environmental protection and sustainability, which are essential for the present and future generations of Gaza and the region.”

The author, Altaf Moti, also claimed that destroying the tunnels designed to facilitate attacks like the one on October 7 would damage “the cultural heritage and identity of Gaza.”

 “It could also affect the cultural expressions and practices of Gaza’s people, such as the art, literature and folklore that are inspired by or related to the tunnels,” the author claimed, stating that destroying the tunnels was a violation of international law. While Israel was heavily criticized for attacking medical facilities and schools used by Hamas for military purposes, this did conform to international law. But the tunnels, built and used for terrorist activities, are a valid military target. Gazan civilians were barred from entering Hamas’ tunnels making it clear that the tunnels were exclusively military and a valid target for the IDF.

In 2015, the Egyptian military flooded several smuggling tunnels beneath the Gaza Strip’s southern border with no complaints being voiced by the UN or foreign governments. While Hamas did not use the tunnels to Egypt for terrorism, the tunnels were used to illegally smuggle goods from Egypt which were heavily taxed, accounting for an annual income of about one billion dollars or 10-15% of the terror organization’s budget. According to Arab sources, the Egyptian military managed to destroy 97% of the smuggling tunnels. 

The IDF announced that soldiers had discovered more than 800 tunnel shafts in the Strip since the beginning of the ground offensive targeting Hamas that began in late October, claiming 500 had already been destroyed.

According to media reports, the IDF set up five large water pumps near the Shati neighborhood in Gaza City, capable of flooding the tunnels within weeks by pumping thousands of cubic meters of water per hour into them.

Israel reportedly ran a successful limited test last week, pumping seawater into a Hamas tunnel in Gaza. The tactic is intended to drive the terrorists above ground to engage them in open combat. The IDF is also considering using airstrikes, liquid explosives, dogs, drones and robots to combat the terrorists in the tunnels.

IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a press conference on Thursday that the army is planning to flood the tunnels based on intelligence it has regarding where it believes the hostages are located and that it will not take steps that harm them.