Inside the Underground Tunnel Beneath a Southern Gaza Hospital

Measuring just two feet in width and under six feet in height, the tunnel extends far below a prominent hospital in southern Gaza.

The air inside was heavy with a foul odor reminiscent of decaying remains. After progressing roughly 40 yards through the confined passage, the source became apparent.

At the end of the tunnel lies a small chamber with a blood-stained floor. According to the Israeli military, this is where Muhammad Sinwar, a leading Hamas militant commander, was killed last month following a nearby Israeli strike.

This dim, narrow tunnel exemplifies the broader narrative struggle between Israelis and Palestinians, each interpreting the conflict and its human toll through vastly different lenses.

The Israeli military arranged for a controlled visit by international journalists to the tunnel on Sunday, aiming to demonstrate Hamas’s use of civilian infrastructure to shield militant operations.

From the Palestinian perspective, the assault on and capture of the hospital compound underscores what they view as Israel’s disregard for civilian safety.