Ethan Rhodes
The existence of tunnels under hospitals in Gaza has been a contentious issue. The Israeli military and government have claimed that Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, operates a network of tunnels under hospitals in Gaza, including the European Hospital, al-Shifa Hospital, and the Indonesian Hospital. These tunnels, they allege, serve as military command centers, terrorist bases, and hideaways for Hamas fighters. On the other hand, Hamas, hospital administrators, and some media outlets have disputed the existence of these tunnels and the extent of their use for military purposes. The verification of these claims and the interpretation of their implications have sparked debates among journalists, legal experts, and the international community.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Tunnels under hospitals in Gaza | Confirmed by the New York Times, BBC, and IDF |
| Purpose of tunnels | Allegedly used by Hamas as a military command centre, terror base, and to store hostages |
| International law | International law prohibits the targeting of hospitals unless there is evidence it is used for a military purpose that is "harmful to the enemy" or as a human shield for combatants |
| Evidence of tunnels | Footage and flight data, verified by BBC and New York Times |
| Reactions | Amnesty International and the World Health Organization have criticised Israel's actions, while Western media outlets and government officials have repeated Israeli claims |
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What You'll Learn
Tunnels under al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza
Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza has been at the centre of controversy regarding the alleged presence of Hamas tunnels and military command centres beneath the hospital complex. The Israeli government and military have repeatedly claimed that Hamas has been operating a vast tunnel network under the hospital, using it as a "main operations base" or "command-and-control centre". These allegations have been used to justify Israeli attacks on the hospital, including raids, bombings, and cutting off essential fuel and electricity supplies.
In late 2023, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released footage of what they claimed was a Hamas tunnel network under the hospital, featuring a winding staircase, a tunnel, and a blast door. However, the existence and nature of the tunnel network have been disputed by various sources. Hospital workers, the Palestinian Health Ministry, and Amnesty International have all denied the presence of tunnels or command centres. They have also questioned the Israeli narrative, stating that even if the tunnels existed, they did not justify the devastating raids and the inhumane treatment of patients and staff during these operations.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, it has been acknowledged by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak that the bunkers underneath al-Shifa Hospital were originally built by Israeli constructors decades ago to provide more space for the hospital's operations within its limited compound. This admission raises doubts about the Israeli military's indiscriminate attacks on the hospital complex, as they had detailed knowledge of the tunnels' existence.
International law and humanitarian law prohibit the targeting of hospitals unless there is evidence of military use that is "harmful to the enemy" or the use of human shields, both of which constitute war crimes. While Hamas has a history of using civilian sites to shield their operations, the burden of proof lies with the Israeli authorities to justify their actions. The New York Times, in their investigation, found that some of the Israeli military's claims and evidence did not wholly align with their narrative of a terrorist headquarters.
The debate surrounding the tunnels under al-Shifa Hospital highlights the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the challenges of verifying information from conflicting sources. The consequences of these allegations and subsequent military actions have had a severe impact on the patients, staff, and the broader healthcare system in Gaza.
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Israeli claims of Hamas command centres
Israeli officials have claimed that tunnels underneath hospitals in Gaza are Hamas military command centres. These claims have been repeated by Western media outlets and government officials. The Israeli government posted an animated video that purportedly showed the vast network of Hamas tunnels underneath al-Shifa, the largest hospital in the Gaza strip. The hospital was also described by journalists and authors as the de facto headquarters of Hamas during the 2014 Gaza War.
The Israeli military has released footage that it claims shows a Hamas tunnel network underneath the European hospital in southern Gaza. They also stated that they had found the body of Mohammed Sinwar, the Hamas leader in Gaza. However, critics have argued that the evidence presented by the Israeli military is not convincing enough and that they had distributed material before the raid that did not support their claims.
The New York Times confirmed that Hamas operated a tunnel beneath the European Gaza Hospital, but instead of condemning Hamas, they framed the tunnel as a matter of clashing narratives. The Washington Post also ran a headline that claimed "Israeli Troops Kill Over 30 Near U.S. Aid Site in Gaza," which was later quietly updated after the claim was debunked.
The Israeli military has struggled to prove that Hamas maintained a command-and-control centre under al-Shifa Hospital. Before the siege, Israel published animations depicting a sophisticated underground Hamas command centre, but critics have called this propaganda and argued that remarkable evidence should be required to support such claims.
In response to the allegations, Hamas and hospital administrators denied the existence of tunnels beneath the hospital and requested that an international delegation be sent to verify their claims. The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) also stated that the Israeli incursion into Al Shifa Hospital was "totally unacceptable," emphasizing that hospitals should not be battlegrounds.
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International law on attacking hospitals
The Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Optional Protocols of 1977 form the basis of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), which sets out a range of minimum standards for the conduct of hostilities. Under IHL, health establishments and units, including hospitals, should not be attacked. This protection extends to the wounded and sick, medical staff, and means of transport. The wounded and sick include anyone, whether military or civilian, who needs medical attention and is not, or no longer, taking part in hostilities.
There are, however, exceptions to this rule. Hospitals lose their protected status when they are used to interfere directly or indirectly in military operations and thereby harm the enemy. This would include, for example, using a hospital as a base to launch an attack, as an observation post to transmit information of military value, as a weapons depot, as a centre for liaison with fighting troops, or as a shelter for able-bodied soldiers. Furthermore, placing a medical establishment or unit in proximity to a military objective with the intention of shielding it from enemy military operations may constitute a violation of precautionary obligations to protect the wounded, sick, and health-care personnel and objects.
In the case of Gaza, there have been claims by Israeli officials that Hamas has a network of tunnels under hospitals in Gaza, including al-Shifa Hospital, the Indonesian Hospital, and the European Hospital, which have been used as military command centres. These claims have been repeated by Western media outlets and government officials as justification for Israeli attacks on these hospitals. However, it is important to note that the presence of tunnels under a hospital does not necessarily mean that the hospital is being used to interfere in military operations.
Under IHL, certain measures should be taken to minimise the impact of an attack on healthcare services. These include preparing a contingency plan to address the disruption to healthcare services and to re-establish full delivery as soon as possible, considering measures for the evacuation of patients and medical personnel, interrupting the attack if the facility no longer meets the criteria for loss of protected status, and facilitating or implementing measures for the rapid restoration of healthcare services.
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Israeli military's tunnel tour for journalists
The Israeli military invited journalists for a tour of a tunnel under a hospital in Gaza. The tunnel was said to be a Hamas command and control compound, with the Israeli military claiming that Hamas was endangering civilians by directing military operations from within the hospital. The journalists were brought to the site in Israeli military vehicles, witnessing the widespread devastation in the area. They were taken to a hole that had been dug by the Israelis to access the tunnel, which was about 10 yards deep. The journalists had to use a rope to lower themselves into the tunnel, which was two feet wide and less than six feet tall.
The tunnel led to a tiny room with bloodstained floors, where the Israeli military claimed a top Hamas militant commander, Muhammad Sinwar, was killed in a previous strike. The air in the tunnel bore the stench of what smelled like human remains. The journalists were not allowed to photograph the soldiers' faces or publish geographic details due to security concerns.
The existence of the tunnel was confirmed by multiple sources, including the New York Times and BBC, which verified CCTV footage of the moment before the strike and its aftermath. The strike was consistent with the use of "bunker buster" bombs designed for underground targets. The Israeli military's actions, including the raid on the hospital and cutting off essential utilities, have drawn criticism for their impact on patients and staff.
The Israeli government has repeatedly claimed that Hamas uses tunnels under hospitals and civilian infrastructure to shield its terrorist activities, endangering civilian lives. These claims have been supported by some Western media outlets. However, Hamas has denied these allegations, and some of Israel's assertions remain unverified. The decision to target the tunnel under the hospital highlights a complex situation, with Israelis criticizing Hamas's abuse of civilians and Palestinians condemning Israel's disregard for civilian life.
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Media outlets' portrayal of the conflict
Media outlets' portrayal of the Israel-Gaza conflict has been diverse, with varying perspectives and narratives presented. Here is an analysis of how different media outlets have covered the conflict:
Traditional News Outlets:
Prominent US media organizations, including NBC, CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times, have been criticized for exhibiting a consistent bias against Palestinians in their coverage. These outlets have been accused of overlooking the impact of Israel's actions on civilians in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing Israeli casualties disproportionately, and avoiding critical terms like "war crime" and "genocide." The Washington Post, for example, ran a headline claiming "Israeli Troops Kill Over 30 Near U.S. Aid Site in Gaza," which was later quietly updated after being debunked.
However, some outlets, like the BBC, have attempted to provide impartial and fair coverage. The BBC has produced documentaries, investigated allegations of abuse, and covered Israel's attacks on Gaza's hospitals and the plight of medics.
Social Media Platforms:
Social media has played a significant role in shaping perceptions of the conflict, especially among younger audiences. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Telegram have provided avenues for local content creators and journalists in Gaza to share their experiences and gain significant followings. However, social media algorithms often show users only one perspective, and the openness of these platforms can lead to misrepresentation.
Israeli influencers and content creators have used social media to garner support for military actions and spread negative portrayals of Hamas. Videos posted by Israeli soldiers showing abuse and destruction in Gaza have gone viral, prompting international condemnation and internal investigations. On the other hand, Hamas has been banned from most social media platforms, although its content still circulates on sites like Telegram.
Print Media:
Print media outlets, such as The New York Times, have framed the conflict through "clashing narratives" and have been criticized for not condemning Hamas strongly enough. For example, instead of focusing on Hamas' use of a hospital as a terror base, their reporting emphasized the tunnel's existence as a matter of differing perspectives.
Wikipedia:
Wikipedia has also been a source of information during the conflict. The English Wikipedia has been praised for requiring reliable secondary sources, shielding it from some social media disinformation campaigns. However, the Hebrew Wikipedia has experienced edit wars, while the Arabic Wikipedia briefly shut down in solidarity with Palestinians.
In summary, media outlets' portrayal of the Israel-Gaza conflict has been varied, with traditional news outlets, social media platforms, and print media all playing a role in shaping global perceptions. While some sources strive for impartiality, others have been criticized for bias, misinformation, and propaganda. Social media, in particular, has influenced younger audiences' understanding of the conflict but has also faced challenges with representation and the spread of misleading information.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, there are tunnels under hospitals in Gaza. The Israeli military has claimed that these tunnels are used by Hamas fighters as hideaways and command centers.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have released footage that they say shows the tunnel network under hospitals in Gaza. The New York Times has also reported on the existence of these tunnels, describing a tunnel two feet wide and less than six feet tall that led deep beneath a major hospital in southern Gaza.
The Israeli military has claimed that the tunnels are used by Hamas as military command centers and hideaways for fighters, weapons, ammunition, cash, and documents. However, Hamas and hospital administrators have denied these claims, stating that the hospitals are being used solely for medical purposes.
The discovery of the tunnel network has had significant consequences. The Israeli military has targeted hospitals in Gaza, raiding and bombing them, and causing devastation for staff and patients. The raids have also led to international condemnation, with the head of the World Health Organization calling the Israeli raid "totally unacceptable."
