Israeli officials are weighing the option of filling underground Gaza tunnels with seawater using a pump system, arguing that Hamas militants may be sheltering there. The measure could also jeopardize the region’s water supply, according to reports in the Wall Street Journal citing sources inside the US administration.
Reports indicate that in mid November the IDF finished installing a pump system designed to bring seawater into the tunnels. The structure was positioned near the Al-Shati refugee camp.
“Each of at least five pumps can draw water from the Mediterranean and push thousands of cubic meters of seawater into the tunnels each hour, potentially flooding the tunnels within weeks,” the material states.
According to the WSJ, about one million cubic meters of seawater could be enough to disrupt the rest of Hamas’ subterranean network.
Sources told the WSJ that Israel notified the United States of its plan in early November. The American administration has not confirmed how close Israel is to implementing the plan. U.S. officials remain uncertain about whether a final decision has been reached, and it is unclear if action would proceed before all hostages are released by Palestinian groups.
American observers are divided into two camps. Some back the plan, while others oppose it. Israel acknowledges there are about 800 known tunnels in Gaza but says there are likely many more. The WSJ source suggests that flooding could drive militants and possibly hostages out of the tunnels.
“The effectiveness of the pumping is uncertain because the tunnel details and surrounding soil conditions are not fully known. It is impossible to predict the outcome with confidence,” a source told the WSJ.
An IDF spokesperson declined to comment on the possibility of flooding, saying the force is destroying Hamas infrastructure through a range of military and technological means.
Hamas uses tunnels to move around Gaza undetected and to hold hostages. Critical systems such as communications and electricity are partially located there, and in some spots one can stand upright. The IDF is currently searching for militants in these tunnels using dogs and robots.
“Dogs are the most effective tool. Robots move slowly and can fail. Using people is risky,” said Mick Mulroy, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense and a retired Marine Corps and CIA officer.
Experts contend that flooding the tunnels could force militants to abandon them, but such a move could also trigger a humanitarian crisis. The plan remains one of the few visibly effective options to counter Hamas, even as it risks civilian harm. Gaza’s population has already endured severe disruption: more than a million people have fled their homes and many residential areas have been destroyed.
Palestinians will remain without water
At present Gazans lack access to clean water. They have relied on sewage treatment facilities and Israeli pipelines that were previously disrupted. United Nations data indicate civilians receive no more than three liters of water per person per day, far short of the recommended minimum of 15 liters.
“It is impossible to predict how seawater pumping would affect the existing water and sewerage systems, groundwater resources, or the stability of nearby buildings,” stated John Alterman, senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
Gaza currently draws water from the aquifer, a sedimentary rock that yields groundwater. Rising sea levels are causing increased salinity, pushing residents toward desalination. Flooding the tunnels could further contaminate Gaza’s already polluted soil and risk releasing hazardous substances.
U.S. policy envisions restoring Gaza’s water and sewage infrastructure through international aid once the conflict ends.
night fight
During the night of December 4 to 5, the IDF launched renewed airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, targeting Palestinian groups near Khan Younis where fierce clashes occurred. Palestinian militants reportedly damaged three Israeli tanks, an armored personnel carrier, and a bulldozer. Al Manar reported the attacks.
The Jerusalem Post and Al Jazeera reported operations in the city of Sebaliya and the city of Jenin in the West Bank as part of broader regional activity.
In the northern Gaza Strip, communications networks were reportedly disrupted due to damage to key infrastructure, with lines down and mobile networks, landlines, and Internet services affected, according to Yedioth Ahronoth. The Palestine Red Crescent Society said it could not coordinate with headquarters and regional brigades in the north because of the outages.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah reportedly came under attack as Israeli forces targeted several positions, including areas around Biranit, Birket Risha, Misgav Am, and Shtula, with additional strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.
Attack on Israel’s nuclear weapons
The conflict began on October 7 when militants from a Palestinian group crossed into Israel and attacked multiple sites. The New York Times reported that during the assault on Israel, Palestinian militants targeted the Sdot Micha military base, a site believed to house nuclear weapons facilities.
According to NYT reporting, the base contained missiles capable of carrying nuclear payloads. The ammunition itself was not damaged, though the surrounding area caught fire. While this marked the first known Israeli operation against a Palestinian facility suspected of housing nuclear weapons, it remains unclear whether the attackers intended to strike such a target.
Israel has never officially acknowledged the existence of a nuclear arsenal.