Posted on 11/01/2023 10:28:56 AM PDT by bitt
The biggest problem confronting Israel in its war on Hamas is how to destroy the Gaza tunnel networks and the terrorist operations therein. Bombing works—mostly—but there’s a better way. Not only would it dramatically reduce Israeli military and Gazan civilian casualties, but it would effectively destroy the tunnel systems for the long term. That solution is to flood the tunnels with seawater from the adjacent Mediterranean.
I worked on the Gaza Strip back in the 1990s. The U.S. government was pouring tens of millions of tax dollars into development assistance there on engineering infrastructure, housing, and related projects. Part of reviewing that work on the ground involved tramping over much of the small territory on foot.
Gaza consists of a strip of beach, back beach, and coastal plain that’s flat to slightly rolling. The territory stretches for about twenty-five miles along the eastern Mediterranean. At its widest, in the south, it’s about seven and a half miles wide; most of it is far narrower, about half of that.
The Gaza tunnel system, mostly constructed over the last forty years, provides Hamas with offensive access to Israel. It also constitutes the terrorist organization’s most formidable defensive redoubt. The tunnels present by far the most difficult logistical problem for Israel in eliminating enemy targets. Open-source maps show at least eleven independent tunnel networks, some nearly adjacent to the sea. The number of independent networks, however, could far exceed that. Hamas claims that the total length of the tunnels is about three hundred miles.
The geography of Gaza argues strongly for the stratagem of flooding the tunnels. It would force the enemy above ground where they can more easily be destroyed, dramatically reduce the Israeli casualties required to accomplish that task and resolve the problem of dealing with parts of the tunnels that are too deep to destroy through bombing. Most importantly, flooding is a permanent or near-permanent solution to the Gaza tunnel problem. Once accomplished, pumping them out enough to be usable again would be both extremely costly and—especially in conjunction with bombing—exceptionally difficult. The timing of executing a flooding strategy is flexible; some could be flooded now, others later, and still others once they’re discovered.
The engineering is straightforward. Egypt flooded thirty-seven cross-border tunnels in southern Gaza back in 2015 in what stands as a practical proof of concept in this location. Seawater from the Mediterranean would be pumped directly into the tunnel openings through short pipelines. While there’s little hydrological head, there is also little topographical relief to deal with in laying the pipe. Large volumes of water are pumped long distances every day, and Israeli water technology is world class.
more....
Well, CO is actually just slightly lighter than air at equal temperature and pressure, but it’s close enough that the two tend to mix rather than stratify, even without agitation.
Natural Gas and a Match would do it too, and destroy the tunnels permanently
It is ethically abhorrent and politically impossible for Israel to operate on the assumption that all the hostages are dead. As I said before, Hamas is evil, not stupid. They know the hostages are extremely valuable as both leverage and human shields. For that same reason, it would be extremely stupid for them to kill the hostages, which will be easily determined once the IDF completes its search of all the tunnels.
As is my habit, I often do “on the other hand” analysis: if they were stupid and evil enough to show the whole world their incomparable savagery, why wouldn’t they do it with the hostages, if all else fails? Ie: if they see that Israel is closing in and they have no escape.
Or just use Sarin gas.
Hamas would put women and children in the tunnels for propaganda.
“It is ethically abhorrent and politically impossible for Israel to operate on the assumption that all the hostages are dead. As I said before, Hamas is evil, not stupid. They know the hostages are extremely valuable as both leverage and human shields. For that same reason, it would be extremely stupid for them to kill the hostages, which will be easily determined once the IDF completes its search of all the tunnels.”
I agree, somewhat, in principle.
However, Israel can not and should not cease operations or pull punches or endanger their people based on the possibility that Hamas has positioned hostages as human shields.
Also, (IMO) if Hamas was really smart.. They would move ALL high value hostages and the bulk of hostages out of the area (Iran/ Syria) to ensure their safety. Give them the opportunity to provide proof of life and leverage for as long as possible.
C2H2, by the truck load. Pump for days then toss a match.
*
*
*
Wild pigs/boar are endemic to Texas - let’s catch a few dozen, tranq them, load them on a plane, and let them loose in the tunnels. They’re reproduce quickly, as well as make a mess.
+1
Propane is not, which is what he referred to with the methyl mercaptan. It’s added to propane as propane is odorless natually.
They should flood those tunnels with molten aluminum like people do with ant hills.
That is a GREAT idea!
“It is ethically abhorrent and politically impossible for Israel to operate on the assumption that all the hostages are dead. “
I agree, but...
Zyklon B would be effective and ironically appropriate.
You just know there's always gonna be a few allyakbars who want to die for islam.
Too obvious, too easy, too practical. Never going to happen.
I’ve thought from the beginning of this pogrom that flooding and/or gassing those tunnels would be the best way to go.
Pump it from the Med into intermediate holding tanks containing a couple decomposing hogs . . .
Short. Concise. Accurate.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.