The Experience of Being in a Hamas Tunnel: Like Drowning
One of the Hamas tunnels was entered by Israeli soldiers. Photo: CNBC
Gaza -
The Hamas tunnels built under Gaza and partly into Israeli territory, are difficult to tame. An Israeli soldier, Achiya Klein, described his experience when he and his team entered the tunnel in 2013.
At that time, Klein and his team dug a Hamas tunnel that was about 20 meters deep. Unexpectedly, when he was about to insert the camera, a bomb exploded. "The bomb hit my face and lower body and threw me out. The mission actually became a rescue mission," he said.
The bomb trap set by Hamas injured 6 Israeli soldiers including Klein, who ended up blind. But he admitted that he was ready for this risk when he joined the special tunnel unit in the Israeli military or Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
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"It's very uncomfortable walking under that kind of tunnel and trying to get comfortable with the unknown," he said as quoted by detikINET from NBC News.'
The experience illustrates what the Israeli army would face in the event of a land invasion of Gaza. Hamas claims to have built 500 kilometers of tunnels which are used as their headquarters, storing ammunition until they attack. Such tunnels are difficult for Israeli technology to detect.
Ordinary night vision goggles would hardly work, communication between IDF tunnel special soldiers would be very limited, and soldiers would have to carry their own oxygen supplies, respirators, and chemical protection masks.
"It was like being underwater," said retired US Army Lt. Gen. Mark Schwartz, who ran US security coordination in Israel and the Palestinian Authority from 2019 to 2021.
Experts say soldiers entering the tunnel can quickly lose their sense of direction and some fall victim to vertigo. The passageways can become so narrow that it is almost impossible to turn around.
“I've been in those tunnels and once you go down, you quickly lose your sense of direction and time,” said Daphné Richemond-Barak, an assistant professor at Israel's Reichman University and an expert on Underground Warfare.
"The consensus is you (should) only send your soldiers into those tunnels as a last resort, perhaps to pin hostages," he said.
As the possibility of a hand-to-hand fight for Gaza drew near, Klein advised his successor in the IDF's tunnel unit.
"They need to make sure this work is completed. But there is no rush and there is no need to take any risks," he advised to avoid danger in Hamas tunnels.
Pengalaman Berada Dalam Terowongan Hamas: Seperti Tenggelam
Salah satu terowongan Hamas dimasuki tentara Israel. Foto: CNBC
Gaza -
Terowongan Hamas yang dibangun di bawah Gaza dan sebagian menuju teritori Israel, memang sulit dijinakkan. Seorang tentara Israel, Achiya Klein, menceritakan pengalamannya ketika dia dan timnya memasuki terowongan itu pada tahun 2013.
Saat itu, Klein dan timnya menggali terowongan Hamas yang dalamnya sekitar 20 meter. Tak dinyana, saat akan memasukkan kamera, terjadi ledakan bom. "Bom itu menghantam wajahku dan tubuh bagian bawah dan melontarkanku. Misi itu malah jadi misi penyelamatan," ujarnya.
Jebakan bom yang dipasang Hamas itu melukai 6 tentara Israel termasuk Klein, yang akhirnya buta. Tapi dia mengaku sudah siap dengan risiko itu saat bergabung dengan unit khusus terowongan di militer Israel atau Israel Defence Forces (IDF).
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"Sangat tidak nyaman berjalan di bawah terowongan semacam itu dan mencoba nyaman dengan hal-hal yang tidak diketahui," katanya seperti dikutip detikINET dari NBC News.'
Pengalaman itu menggambarkan apa yang akan dihadapi tentara Israel jika invasi darat ke Gaza. Hamas mengklaim telah membangun terowongan sepanjang 500 kilometer yang digunakan untuk markas mereka, menyimpan amunisi sampai untuk menyerang. Terowongan semacam itu sukar dideteksi oleh teknologi Israel.
Kacamata penglihatan malam biasa sulit berfungsi, komunikasi di antara tentara khusus terowongan IDF akan sangat terbatas, dan tentara harus membawa sendiri pasokan oksigen, respirator, serta masker pelindung bahan kimia.
"Rasanya seperti berada tenggelam di bawah air," kata purnawirawan Letjen Angkatan Darat AS Mark Schwartz, yang menjalankan koordinasi keamanan AS di Israel dan Otoritas Palestina dari tahun 2019 hingga 2021.
Para ahli mengatakan tentara yang memasuki terowongan dapat dengan cepat kehilangan arah dan beberapa menjadi korban vertigo. Lorong-lorongnya bisa menjadi sangat sempit sehingga hampir mustahil untuk berbalik arah.
"Saya telah berada di dalam terowongan itu dan begitu Anda turun, Anda akan segera kehilangan kesadaran akan arah dan waktu," kata Daphné Richemond-Barak, asisten profesor di Universitas Reichman Israel dan pakar Perang Bawah Tanah.
"Konsensusnya adalah Anda (sebaiknya) hanya mengirim tentara Anda ke terowongan tersebut sebagai upaya terakhir, mungkin untuk menyematkan sandera," katanya.
Ketika kemungkinan pertarungan satu lawan satu untuk memperebutkan Gaza semakin dekat, Klein memberi saran pada penerusnya di unit terowongan IDF.
"Mereka perlu memastikan pekerjaan ini selesai. Tapi jangan terburu-buru dan tidak perlu mengambil risiko apa pun," demikian sarannya untuk menghindari bahaya di terowongan Hamas.