Tunnels built to protect our fighters, not civilians: Hamas official
Citing Geneva Conventions, the Hamas official said that it is the responsibility of the United Nations to provide Gaza civilians with all the services as long as they are under occupation.
The underground tunnels built in the Gaza Strip are to protect the Hamas "fighters" and the responsibility to protect the civilians is with the United Nations and Israel, a Hamas official told Russia Today TV.
The clip of the interview, translated into English by Middle East Media Research Institute (Memri) TV, shows Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk saying, "Protecting Gaza civilians is the responsibility of the United Nations (UN) and Israel."
"We have built the tunnels to protect ourselves from getting targeted and killed. These are meant to protect us from the airplanes," Marzouk said, adding that they have no other options but to fight from tunnels.
Citing the Geneva Conventions, the Hamas official said, "It is the responsibility of the UN to provide them with all the services as long as they are under occupation."
Hamas launched a multi-pronged attack on Israel on October 7, killing 1,400 people, and kidnapping 230 others. In retaliation, Israel attacked establishments in the Gaza Strip, which have killed over 8,000 people so far, the Gaza Health Ministry claims.
Fierce air and artillery strikes rang out in Gaza on Monday as Israeli troops backed by tanks pressed into the Palestinian enclave with a ground assault that prompted more international calls for civilians to be protected.
A terrorist was shot at and held after he stabbed a police officer in Jerusalem, leaving him critically injured near the Shivtei Israel light rail station on Monday. The injured official is currently under treatment.