Image by getty images

JERUSALEM (JTA) — A Hamas terror tunnel was discovered under a United Nations school in the Gaza Strip.

The tunnel was discovered on Oct. 15 by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, which runs the school, and Israeli authorities were notified, the UNRWA said in a statement released on Saturday.

The school was immediately closed and the tunnel sealed, according to the statement. The school reopened 10 days later.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis of the crisis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

“The presence of a tunnel underneath an UNRWA installation, which enjoys inviolability under international law, is unacceptable. It places children and Agency staff at risk,” the UNRWA said in the statement.

“The Agency again demands full respect for the neutrality and inviolability of United Nations premises at all times. Any activities or conduct that put beneficiaries and staff alike at risk, and undermine the ability of UNRWA staff to provide assistance to Palestine refugees in safety and security, must cease,” the statement also said.

It is the second time this year that a Hamas tunnel has been discovered under a United Nations-supported school in Gaza. A tunnel also was found under a different school in June, Ynet reported.

Hamas has used a network of tunnels running from Gaza to southern Israel to launch attacks on Israel and to kidnap Israeli soldiers into the coastal strip.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse..

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount