A Russian diplomat has warned that Israel’s plan to flood Hamas tunnels with a view to flush out the terrorists could represent a struggle crime.
“War crimes are snowballing — shocking reports have been circulated in recent days that Israel plans to flood underground facilities in the Gaza Strip with seawater,” Russian First Deputy Everlasting Consultant to the United Nations Dmitry Polyansky stated throughout a United Nations Safety Council assembly this week.
“According to open sources, the IDF has already built a system of pumps and pipes to pump seawater and is currently discussing with the United States practical aspects of such flooding: whether there will be enough water or if the tunnels’ ‘topography’ is fit for that and so on. Such a step, if made, will constitute a blatant war crime,” Polyansky argued.
The Wall Avenue Journal earlier this week reported that the Israel Protection Forces have constructed five large seawater pumps about one mile north of the Al-Shati refugee camp, with every pump able to transferring hundreds of cubic meters of water per hour from the Mediterranean Sea into the Hamas tunnels.
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The report, citing senior U.S. officers, claims that this course of might flood the tunnels inside weeks, however Israel has not dedicated to the plan – particularly with considerations over the remaining hostages, whom Hamas should still have within the tunnels. The sluggish flood might enable for Hamas and hostages to flee the tunnel, a supply aware of the plan stated.
First Deputy Everlasting Consultant of the Russian Federation Dmitry Polyanskiy listens to audio system throughout a UN Safety Council emergency assembly on Nagorno Karabakh on the United Nations headquarters on September 21, 2023, in New York Metropolis. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Pictures)
“We are not sure how successful pumping will be, since nobody knows the details of the tunnels and the ground around them,” the supply stated. “It’s impossible to know if that will be effective, because we don’t know how seawater will drain in tunnels no one has been in before.”
Russian outlet TASS reported that Polyansky blasted “Western-biased media” for hailing the plan as a “brilliant tactical solution” and never occupied with the results of pumping the seawater into soil.
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“Obviously, it is a real plan of action to undermine the enclave’s fragile agricultural capacities, because seawater will inevitably contaminate Gaza’s subsoil waters,” Polyansky stated, connecting the plan to the dearth of consuming water in Gaza for the reason that begin of Israel’s operations and floor invasion of the territory.
The World Well being Group (WHO) stated the struggle has caused a public health crisis within the Gaza Strip that might drive up the loss of life toll, which the Hamas-controlled Gaza Well being Ministry has already reported at over 13,300. The shortage of functioning hospitals, working water and shelters will contribute closely to the deteriorating scenario, in line with WHO.
The USA vetoed a UN Safety Council decision that may have referred to as for a direct cease-fire within the intense combating between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The USA’ deputy consultant on the UN, Robert Wooden, stated the decision was “divorced from reality” and “would have not moved the needle forward on the ground.” (Charly Triballeau/AFP through Getty Pictures)
The shortage of potable water provides, sanitation and medical entry is a recipe for epidemics as displaced Palestinians have been compelled to take shelter in cramped properties and camps, WHO’s Margaret Harris stated at a briefing in Switzerland.
United Nations Secretary-Normal Antonio Guterres issued a letter to the Security Council this week in regards to the humanitarian disaster in Gaza in a uncommon invocation of Article 99, which grants him the ability to immediately convey his ideas and needs to the council. A secretary-general final used this energy in 1971 when combating broke out in Pakistan and led to the separation of Bangladesh.
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Guterres urged the Safety Council to pursue a ceasefire declaration, however the U.S. vetoed a movement tabled throughout Friday’s Security Council meeting, with the UK abstaining from the vote whereas all different members supported it.
UN Secretary-Normal Antonio Guterres stated on December 8, 2023, that Hamas brutality might by no means justify “collective punishment” of Palestinians as Israel presses its marketing campaign towards Hamas within the Gaza Strip. (YUKI IWAMURA/AFP through Getty Pictures)
The U.S. blasted the decision as “divorced from reality” and argued that it will “not move the needle forward on the ground in any concrete way.” U.S. Deputy Everlasting Consultant Robert A. Wooden referred to as the demand for an unconditional cease-fire “dangerous” and “a recipe for disaster for Israel, for Palestinians and for the entire region.”
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The decision demanded a direct humanitarian ceasefire and the fast and unconditional launch of hostages in addition to humanitarian entry, however it didn’t condemn the Hamas assault on October 7, which the UK cited as a essential situation for its assist.
“Calling for a ceasefire ignores the truth that Hamas has dedicated acts of terror and is still holding civilians hostage,” British Ambassador Barbara Woodward defined. She additionally voiced assist for a two-state answer, which she burdened should ship statehood for the Palestinians and safety for Israel.
Fox Information Digital’s Chris Pandolfo, Timothy Nerozzi and Lawrence Richard and The Related Press contributed to this report.
