Hamas official Marzouk: 'Gaza tunnels built to protect Hamas, not civilians'

• Published date: 31 October 2023

"We have built the tunnels because we have no other way of protecting ourselves from being targeted and killed," he claimed. "These tunnels are meant to protect us from airplanes. We are fighting inside the tunnels."

The video was posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday, and can be watched below:

Marzouk's statements were in response to questions about why Hamas constructed over 500 kilometers of tunnels, according to the interviewer, and have not invested that effort into constructing bomb shelters.

"Everybody knows that 75% of the people in the Gaza Strip are refugees, and it is the responsibility of the United Nations to protect them," he continued.

"According to the Geneva Conventions, it is the responsibility of the occupation to provide them with all the services as long as they are under occupation."

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