Cartoon Characters and Stuffed Toys: IDF Reveals Entrance of Tunnel Where Hostages Were Executed

September 5, 2024

by: Yoav Zitun ~ Ynetnews

Thursday, 5 September 2024 | The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] revealed on Wednesday the first footage from the terror tunnel in Gaza’s Rafah area where the bodies of the six hostages who were murdered in captivity last week were found and their bodies recovered and returned to Israel.

The video from the area close to the tunnel shaft shows dolls and wall paintings of cartoon characters, including Snow White and Mickey Mouse, in a children’s room.

According to reports, forces from the 162nd Division and Shin Bet [Israeli internal security organization] located the shaft leading to the tunnel in an “area surrounded by the enemy and extensively booby-trapped. This is a further example of how Hamas abuses civilian areas to hold hostages and carry out its terrorist activities,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in a statement.

Hamas had previously admitted its terrorists executed the hostages, likely out of fear of an IDF rescue operation in the area as Israeli forces were operating close by. Former hostage Farhan Kadi was rescued about a kilometer [0.6 mi.] away a few days earlier.

SSGT A., a soldier from the Yahalom unit, said in English in a video released by the IDF as part of a global campaign, “We received clear intelligence indication regarding a tunnel shaft in this area. We operated precisely in this location to dismantle the infrastructure and uncover the tunnel.

“As you can see, this tunnel was hidden in a child’s bedroom, a place for a child should [sic] feel safe and not be used as a human shield for Hamas. This is exactly what Hamas does. They hide behind the civilian population, putting them at risk. From this tunnel, we rescued the bodies of six Israeli hostages: Eden, Ori, Carmel, Almog, Hersh and Alexander.”

Posted on September 5, 2024

Source: (This article originally published by Ynetnews on September 4, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Screenshot/IDF/X.org