US President Joe Biden was asked on Tuesday about reports that the IDF has begun pumping water from the Mediterranean Sea into Hamas' tunnel network.
“There are assertions being made there are no hostages in these tunnels,” Biden said during a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
He added, however, "I don't know that for a fact."
The Wall Street Journal, quoting US officials familiar with Israel’s operations, reported earlier that Israel’s move is still in its early stages and is one of several techniques Israel is using in its operation to eliminate Hamas.
A spokesperson for Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declined to comment to WSJ, telling the news outlet that "tunnel operations are classified."
The newspaper reported last week that Israel has assembled a system of large pumps it could use to flood the Hamas tunnels with seawater.
That report said that US officials believe that Israel hasn’t made a final decision to move ahead with the plan, nor has it ruled it out.
Egypt in the past used the tactic of flooding Hamas terror tunnels which were dug beneath the Egypt-Gaza Rafah border crossing.