Israeli Military Discovers Tunnels Under UN Agency Headquarters in Gaza City
In a shocking revelation, the Israeli military has uncovered tunnels beneath the main headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian refugees in Gaza City. The military alleges that Hamas militants have been using these tunnels as an electrical supply room, further escalating tensions between Israel and the embattled agency.
The discovery of these tunnels marks the latest chapter in Israel’s ongoing campaign against UNRWA, with accusations of collaboration with Hamas. Recent allegations by Israel that a dozen staff members participated in a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 have plunged the agency into a financial crisis. Major donor states have suspended their funding, and twin investigations have been launched. Israel has also frozen UNRWA’s bank account, embargoed aid shipments, and canceled its tax benefits.
To shed light on the situation, the Israeli army invited journalists to view the tunnel on Thursday. While it did not definitively prove that Hamas militants operated in the tunnels underneath the UNRWA facility, it did reveal that at least a portion of the tunnel ran underneath the facility’s courtyard. The military claimed that the headquarters supplied the tunnels with electricity.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini expressed surprise at the discovery, stating that the agency had no knowledge of the facility’s underground activities. However, he emphasized the need for an independent inquiry, which is currently impossible due to the ongoing war. The UNRWA headquarters, located on the western edge of Gaza City, now lie in ruins.
The Israeli forces used a tactic previously employed elsewhere in the strip to locate the tunnel. They overturned mounds of red earth, creating a crater-like hole that led to a small tunnel entrance. The unearthed shaft revealed an underground passageway estimated to stretch for at least half a kilometer, with multiple doors along its length. Journalists were even able to make eye contact with soldiers standing in a courtyard within the UNRWA facility through a hole in the tunnel.
Inside one of the UNRWA buildings, journalists discovered a room full of computers with wires extending into the ground. Soldiers then led them to an underground room where the wires were connected. This room, lined with electrical cabinets and cables, was claimed by the military to be the hub powering the tunnel infrastructure in the area.
Lt. Col. Ido, whose last name was redacted by the military, explained, “Twenty meters above us is the UNRWA headquarters. This is the electricity room, you can see all around here. The batteries, the electricity on walls, everything is conducted from here, all the energy for the tunnels which you walked through are powered from here.”
The tunnel was also found to contain a small bathroom, a room with shelves, and even two small vehicles that soldiers claimed were used by militants to navigate the tunnel network. The military stated that the tunnel began at a UNRWA school and stretched for 700 meters, reaching a depth of 18 meters. Rifles, ammunition, grenades, and explosives were allegedly uncovered in the facility, further supporting the claim that it had been used by Hamas militants.
Lazzarini, however, maintained that UNRWA had conducted regular inspections of the facility and was unaware of what lay beneath it. He stated that he had visited multiple times and did not recognize the electrical room. The agency does not possess the military and security expertise to undertake such inspections.
Israel has been on a mission to destroy Hamas’ network of tunnels across Gaza, which it claims are used to transport fighters, weapons, and supplies throughout the territory. The Israeli offensive has been ongoing for four months since Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people and the abduction of 250 hostages.
As journalists left the UNRWA facility, the extent of the destruction was evident. Bullet holes covered the walls, shrapnel was scattered everywhere, and U.N. vehicles lay in ruins atop building debris. The area was desolate, with dogs roaming the premises.
In response to the Israeli allegations, Touma, a representative of UNRWA, expressed outrage, stating, “The Israeli army is occupying our biggest UNRWA headquarters. That’s what’s outrageous.”
The discovery of tunnels beneath the UNRWA headquarters has further complicated the already tense situation in Gaza. With allegations of collaboration between the agency and Hamas, the future of UNRWA hangs in the balance. As investigations continue and tensions rise, the people of Gaza are left to bear the consequences of this ongoing conflict.