500 km of tunnels, but no bomb shelters! Hamas openly admits lives of Gazans mean nothing to them (WATCH)
In a video shared by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on X, senior Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzouk states, "Everybody knows 75 percent of the people in the Gaza Strip are refugees, and it is the responsibility of the United Nations to protect them."
In the volatile region of the Middle East, the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has been marked by a concerning trend: Hamas's prioritization of its own preservation over the safety and well-being of Gazan civilians. This fact was brought to light by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Thursday and statement from a Hamas official himself.
Hamas, the Palestinian militant organization that governs the Gaza Strip, has been widely criticized for its actions during the conflicts with Israel. One of the most alarming revelations is its extensive network of underground tunnels, which serve a dual purpose: to protect its own operatives and leaders while actively endangering the lives of Gazan civilians.
The IDF has exposed the true intentions behind these tunnels. Rather than using them as bomb shelters to safeguard civilians during Israeli airstrikes, Hamas has constructed them primarily to shield its fighters from aerial attacks. These tunnels have been used as launch sites for rocket attacks on Israeli cities and military positions, putting the lives of both Israelis and Gazans at risk.
In a video shared by IDF on X, Mousa Abu Marzouk, a senior Hamas official, underscores this stark prioritization of self-interest over the safety of civilians. When asked why Hamas built 500 km of tunnels, but no built bomb shelters for Gazan civilians, Marzouk responded that these tunnels were meant to protect Hamas from aerial threats.
"These tunnels are meant to protect us (Hamas) from the airplanes. We are fighting from inside the tunnels. Everybody knows 75 percent of the people in the Gaza Strip are refugees, and it is the responsibility of the United Nations to protect them," he said.
This admission raises serious questions about Hamas's regard for the lives of the people it purports to represent. The IDF has repeatedly pointed out that Hamas routinely places its terrorist infrastructure, including tunnels and rocket launchers, under densely populated civilian areas such as schools, mosques, and hospitals. This practice not only endangers the lives of innocent Gazans but also deliberately puts them in harm's way. It is a strategic choice that should not be ignored.
The implications of Hamas's actions are troubling. It underscores a dangerous willingness to exploit the presence of civilians in Gaza as human shields for its operations. This disregard for human life, particularly in such a densely populated area, is deeply concerning and has been widely condemned by the international community.