The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have discovered a series of tunnels in the Gaza Strip beneath a key United Nations agency linked to Hamas and Islamic terrorism, The Times of Israel reported on Saturday.
The IDF discovered a network of Hamas logistics tunnels and data hubs under the jurisdiction of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which contained electrical rooms, computer servers and living spaces, the Times reported. report Saturday. UNRWA employs several personnel who took part in the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, and has had multiple funding sources cut after more personnel were found to have ties to Islamic terrorism in the region. . (Related: UN agency full of terror suspects demands cash after US halts funding)
The newspaper said the IDF had little or no prior knowledge of Hamas tunnels beneath UNRWA's Gaza headquarters. The logistics and data hub under UNRWA headquarters was discovered by Israel's Shin Bet intelligence agency as a result of interrogation of captured Hamas terrorists.
These findings were found in the following ranges: @UNRWA Facility:
Acting on ISA intelligence, forces discovered a tunnel shaft near a UNRWA school leading to a terrorist subterranean tunnel beneath UNRWA headquarters. Troops discovered electrical infrastructure within the tunnel… pic.twitter.com/n5EWJpyI4o
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) February 10, 2024
“The Israel Defense Forces have been here before, initially to annihilate the enemy, but the last time they came here they collected a lot of intelligence documents and findings, a lot of prisoners. got us here,” Israeli Defense Forces Colonel Benny Aharon told the Times. “Now we have carried out a targeted operation to take away this capability.”
“We had the basic information, but it wasn't enough to dig 20 meters and find it. We needed a little more information,” Aharon told the Times. “We have information from the prisoners we captured, the computers we found, the documents, and the maps we found.”
Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA's Gaza operations, claimed on Saturday that he was “not aware” that Hamas was operating and conducting logistics underground at the agency's headquarters. according to to the Times. “We left the compound there and have never used it since.” [on Oct. 12] We also have no knowledge of any activities that may have taken place there,” Lazzarini said. statement Saturday.
Coordination of Government Activities in the Region for Judea and Samaria and the Gaza Strip (COGAT); organization The coordinating authority between Israel and the Palestinian Authority pushed back on that claim, insisting that UNRWA leadership was aware of Hamas activities beneath the tunnels.
“Oh, I knew that.” Kogut answered On Saturday, I went to Lazzarani. “It will take more than four months to dig a tunnel. We have invited seniors. And in past meetings with you and other UN officials, we mentioned the use of UNRWA headquarters by Hamas. You chose to ignore the facts in order to later try to deny them. ”
In late January, UNRWA fired several staff members for their alleged participation in the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. More than 1,000 UNRWA personnel have since been found to have direct ties to Islamic terrorism. according to The Wall Street Journal reported this to a US intelligence agency that investigated.
Several Western countries, including the United States, have suspended funding to UNRWA pending an investigation into its links to terrorism.
Israel is carrying out a full-scale counterattack against Hamas in the Gaza Strip in retaliation for the terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7 that killed more than 1,200 civilians. The IDF has secured much of northern Gaza and is preparing to invade and secure the southernmost tip of the region, particularly Rafah, which borders Egypt. according to In WSJ.
UNRWA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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