The Israeli military has said they discovered a tunnel shaft under a UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) school. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 31 Palestinians in the southern Gaza city of Rafah on Saturday.The tunnel shaft, near the school, led to an underground shelter that served as a valuable asset for Hamas's military intelligence wing, according to the IDF. The route connected to the tunnel also led to a path beneath UNRWA's central headquarters in the Gaza Strip.According to the report, the tunnel was 700 meters long and 18 meters deep and contained several constructed side doors to various new routes. The IDF stated that the newly acquired intelligence from this operation will allow it to conduct additional raids on Hamas in the future.The subterranean data center — complete with an electrical room, industrial battery power banks and living quarters for Hamas terrorists operating the computer servers — was built precisely under the location where Israel would not consider looking initially, let alone target in an airstrike.
Commissioner-General of UNRWA Phillipe Lazzarini made a comment on X, denying any awareness of Hamas using UNRWA assets for terror purposes.He also stated that they perform routine checks on all of their premises, saying, "In times of 'no active conflict,' UNRWA inspects inside its premises every quarter. The last inspection for the UNRWA Gaza premises was completed in September 2023."
- UNRWA did not know what is under its headquarters in Gaza.
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) February 10, 2024
- UNRWA is made aware of reports through the media regarding a tunnel under the UNRWA Headquarters in Gaza.
- UNRWA staff left its headquarters in Gaza City on 12 October following the Israeli evacuation orders and as…
Foreign Minister Israel Katz responded to the Commissioner-General's statement, demanding that he resign."The exposure of UNRWA's Gaza headquarters' deep involvement with Hamas, including its use for terror activities and as an access point to terror tunnels, requires immediate action. Commissioner-General Lazzarini's claim of unawareness is not only absurd but also an affront to common sense. His prompt resignation is imperative."Israel last month accused 12 staff with the UN Palestinian refugee agency of taking part in the October 7 massacre by Hamas-led terrorists, who killed 1,200 people and took 253 hostages in the murderous rampage
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