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<\/p>\nPICTURES have emerged appearing to show Israeli troops setting pumps and pipes close to the sea as they look to flood Hamas's tunnel network.<\/p>\n
The Israeli army has installed at least five large pumps in Gaza that could fill the 300-mile underground labyrinth in a matter of weeks.<\/p>\n
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It would also flush out or down Hamas terrorists using the sprawling maze as a hideout following the horror October 7 massacre.<\/p>\n
Israeli authorities vowed to wipe out the terror group following the attack two months ago that saw more than 1,200 brutally slaughtered.<\/p>\n
Army chiefs have now devised a plan to use seawater to flood Hamas's tunnels amid the mission.<\/p>\n
Photos are understood to show dozens of Israeli soldiers above ground preparing huge pipes and pumps by the shore.<\/p>\n
Other images claim to show troops working on pipes.<\/p>\n The pumps are capable of flooding the\u00a0vast underground maze\u00a0within weeks by pouring in thousands of cubic metres of water per hour from the Mediterranean Sea, reports\u00a0The Wall Street Journal.<\/p>\n US officials said Israel alerted American authorities about its plan last month.<\/p>\n It is understood a decision has not yet been made on whether to go ahead.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n But unverified footage appears to show tunnels already being filled with water.<\/p>\n Israeli army chief Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi this weeksaid flooding the tunnels could be a good idea and that it was one of a number of options being considered.<\/p>\n The IDF has said it already has destroyed hundreds of tunnel sections during the war. <\/p>\n It is unclear if flooding the tunnels with seawater could threaten Gaza's already overtaxed underground freshwater aquifer or potentially damage soil with salt and hazardous materials.<\/p>\n The terror group claims the sprawling underground labyrinth stretches some 500km – bigger than the London Underground which is 402km long.<\/p>\n Hidden up to 100ft below the surface, the entrances are enclosed under the floors of homes, mosques and schools – allowing fighters to move unseen between homes and alleyways within Gaza.<\/p>\n It is used by the warped group to transport people and goods as well as store rocks and ammunition.<\/p>\n The tunnels are understood to be connected to launch pits where rockets have been fired from towards Israeli areas.<\/p>\n Hamas's command and control centres are also housed in the intricate system away from Israel's watch.<\/p>\n And it's understood the entire network is heavily laden with booby traps and homemade bombs.<\/p>\n Each tunnel is reinforced with concrete and some are so narrow fighters are unable to stand up in them.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/newspress-collage-1o4wozgpy-1701804998176.jpg\")
<\/picture>FIENDISH TACTICS <\/span><\/p>\nHamas 'cowards' stash AK-47s in babies' cots and 'send kids to frontline'<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/da-tunnel-comp.jpg\")
<\/picture>FLUSH THEM OUT <\/span><\/p>\nIsrael planning to flood Hamas\u2019s tunnel network to drive out terrorists<\/h3>\n
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