By Gloria Ogbonna
Israel has uncovered a significant Hamas intelligence tunnel, partially situated beneath the Gaza headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which has faced funding cuts due to staff involvement in terrorism.
In a joint statement on Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel Security Agency (ISA) revealed that IDF and ISA forces conducted a targeted raid on terror targets in northern and central Gaza over the past two weeks.
Operating in the areas of Shati and Tel al-Hawa, the forces eliminated approximately 120 Hamas terrorists and destroyed 20 terrorist infrastructure sites.
Based on ISA intelligence, the forces located a tunnel shaft near an UNRWA school, leading to an underground terror tunnel serving as a significant asset of Hamas’ military intelligence.
This tunnel passed beneath the building housing UNRWA’s main headquarters in the Gaza Strip, extending 700 meters long and 18 meters deep with multiple blast doors.
During the operation, a variety of intelligence assets were seized, enabling further action against Hamas targets and weakening their intelligence capabilities. The forces discovered electrical infrastructure inside the tunnel connected to UNRWA’s main headquarters, indicating that UNRWA facilities supplied the tunnel with electricity.
Subsequently, a targeted raid on UNRWA’s central headquarters revealed large quantities of weapons, including rifles, ammunition, grenades, and explosives, concealed within the building’s rooms. Intelligence and documents found confirmed that UNRWA offices had been utilized by Hamas terrorists.
UNRWA has faced funding cuts from various donor countries, including the U.S., following revelations of staff involvement in the Hamas terror attack on October 7. Additionally, the agency has perpetuated narratives promoting Palestinian return to Israel, contributing to tensions in the region.
source breitbrat