The IDF says that its forces along with the Israeli Ministry of Defense have been using various tools to flood the subterranean network of tunnels Hamas has been using in the Gaza Strip in order to drive out terrorists hiding there.

Israel’s military declared on Tuesday that it has pumped seawater to flood the Hamas underground tunnel network in the Gaza Strip. It was the first time that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officially acknowledged using the controversial strategy, which some United Nations hydrologists and environmental experts warned could destroy the majority of Gaza’s drinkable water and harm agriculture.

The IDF says that its forces along with the Israeli Ministry of Defense have been using various tools to flood the subterranean network of tunnels Hamas has been using in the Gaza Strip in order to drive out terrorists hiding there. The flooding had been considered an open secret for weeks but the IDF finally confirmed the strategy on Tuesday.

“The pumping of water was only carried out in tunnel routes and locations that were suitable, matching the method of operation to each case,” the IDF said in a statement. “This project was developed following combat procedures, accelerated force-building efforts, and while training forces with technological expertise.”

“This tool represents a significant engineering and technological breakthrough in combating the threat of underground terror infrastructure and is the result of a collaborative effort between various bodies in Israel’s security establishment,” the IDF added.

The IDF said this strategy represents a significant engineering and technological breakthrough in combating the threat of Hamas’ underground terror infrastructure and is the result of a collaborative effort between various bodies in Israel’s security establishment.

The statement clarified that tools such as pumps and pipes were employed and emphasised that the water pumping was executed selectively in tunnel routes deemed suitable for this method. The move has raised concerns about the safety of hostages believed to be held underground in Gaza. When discussions about flooding tunnels first emerged in December, experts expressed apprehensions about potential risks, including the contamination of freshwater supplies and damage to surface-level infrastructure, CNN reported.

The IDF did not go into further detail about the flooding of the tunnels.

However, the Wall Street Journal reported last month that Israel had constructed five large seawater pumps completed in November about one mile north of the Al-Shati refugee camp. Each pump is capable of drawing water from the Mediterranean Sea and can move thousands of cubic meters of water per hour, which would flood the tunnels within weeks, the report said.

Hamas, the Palestinian militant group controlling Gaza, downplayed the potential success of Israel’s tactic, asserting that its tunnel network was designed to withstand such flooding.

According to that report, Israel had identified about 800 tunnels beneath Gaza that Hamas had been using to move fighters, store weapons and plan terror attacks on Israel. However, Israeli officials believe the tunnel network is much larger.

It is unclear how many tunnels have been flooded by Israeli forces and how many Hamas terrorists have been caught or killed as part of the operations.