The Arabic-speaking spokesperson for the Israeli army, Lieutenant Colonel Avichay Adraee, on Wednesday published footage from inside Hamas tunnels, offering a rare view into the underground lifestyle of the group’s militants amid ongoing fighting.
The videos show Hamas operatives consuming lavish meals in apparent comfort, a stark contrast to the dire humanitarian conditions reported above ground.
“While Hamas leaders accuse Israel of starving the population of Gaza, the terrorists themselves are filmed gorging on food that did not arrive as part of humanitarian aid,”
Adraee wrote. The images, he said, expose a clear disconnect between the organization’s public messaging and the private reality of its fighters.
Adraee added that Hamas is once again showing its “disconnect from the inhabitants… in all its ugliness,” accusing the group of “spreading lies to the world about famine” while secretly feasting and hiding underground. He also criticized Hamas for delighting in the destruction caused by the conflict—destruction he claims the group has brought upon Gaza itself.
The IDF spokesperson directed his message primarily to Gaza’s residents, urging them not to be misled: “They are not heroes—they are thieves who care only about themselves, who hide in tunnels out of fear of the consequences of their crimes, and who leave you to face the price to be paid.”
In previous statements, the Israeli military reported finding large stashes of food, water, and cash in Hamas hideouts, further underlining the disparity between the group’s leadership and the hardships endured by Gaza’s civilian population.