By Afshain Afzal

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) has claimed that they discovered a Hamas abandoned headquarters in the shape of a tunnel where a secret data center was run underneath the evacuated headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza City. IDF claimed that the tunnel was half a mile long and 60 feet deep, passing under the building that serves as UNRWA’s main headquarters in the Gaza Strip. The IDF released a video and invited journalists to visit the tunnel. The Israeli military did not provide definitive proof that Hamas fighters operated at the location, Philippe Lazzarini serving at UNRWA, Gaza tweeted that the agency “did not know what is under its headquarters in Gaza”. The video prepared by IDF can be seen at https://youtu.be/9QqGsBmQY5Y for clarity. Following the facts and analysis shown in the IDF’s video, which a person of normal IQ can also easily make out:-

a.        At least three videos have been merged to give the impression that the tunnel was used as an underground communication facility by Hamas.

b.        The tunnel is claimed to be 60 feet deep so how UNRWA headquarters might know it as there was no passage connection tunnel with the headquarters.

c.        The water table in Gaza is high but not drinkable and we witnessed water in the tunnel where an IDF personnel was also seen entering from opening and moving to a farther end.

d.        The tunnel reflected electrical cabinets connected with dozens of cables and high-power UPS batteries. It seems that the tunnel provided backup electricity to the community of the area during a power failure.

e.        There were more than 40 UPS heavy-duty batteries and few racks of non-operational computers and few empty racks without computers.

f.         Israel claims that at least 12 UNWRA members are involved in terrorist activities but no proof has been shown… expelling from job does not mean that they were terrorists.

g.        IDF further alleges that UNWRA had been supplying electricity to the Hamas inside the tunnels… had this been the case why there were more than 40 UPS batteries inside the tunnel?

h.        Although IDF had shown few racks of non-operational computers (probably of 1990s) and few empty racks without computers. Had this been the data center used by Hamas where are the chairs, tables, personal computers with monitors.

i.         Another important factor is that the water table in Gaza is very high at place 2 meters to 18 meters. We have seen that water is visible at points at the mouth of IDF’s dig tunnel. We also saw the floor of almost all the tunnels was not tiled or plastered and clay was visible. In some tunnels, water was seen on the surface of the floor. Besides, there was no ventilation system. This proves that these tunnels were not used for military or terrorist use.

i.         Israel is claiming that it would flood the tunnel with sea-water to eliminate Hamas but it is all propaganda. Why IDF is not allowing access to journalists before flooding to see all the tunnels and report about the facts to the world.

k.        The recovery of arms and ammunition shown by IDF are fake and has no connection with either tunnels or Hamas.  

        One wonders Israel and IDF have lost the battle. Tel Aviv is involved in the genocide of orthodox Palestinian Muslims, regarding which the International Court of Justice has also issued Interim Measures for Israel to ensure the stoppage of genocide and also relief and aid to be allowed to be distributed in Gaza. It is high time that the Turkish forces along with neighbouring Arab states may be given a mandate by the United Nations Security Council for peacekeeping inside Gaza, reconstruction and repatriation of Palestinians back to their homes.