Top-Secret Hamas Intelligence Center Discovered Beneath U.N. Aid Group’s Gaza Headquarters, Israeli Military Says

 The Israeli military said on Saturday that Hamas militants had hidden a top-secret intelligence center beneath the United Nations Palestinian Refugee Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza, which was uncovered by Israeli Defense Forces.

The Hamas intelligence center included an electrical chamber, industrial battery power banks and living space for terrorists, The Times of Israel reported. The IDF search follows revelations that at least a dozen of the agency's operatives were linked to the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, according to an Israeli intelligence dossier.

The controversial UN aid group – which says it is "committed to advancing the human development of Palestine refugees" – denied having any knowledge that it was harboring Hamas terrorists, according to UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. And there is a data center right below his feet.

"UNRWA has been made aware of reports through the media regarding a tunnel beneath the UNRWA headquarters in Gaza," Lazzarini said. “UNRWA staff left their headquarters in Gaza City on 12 October, following Israeli evacuation orders and as bombardment in the area intensified. We have not used the premises since we left it, nor are we aware of any activity taking place there.”

The UNRWA Commissioner-General said the agency could not confirm or comment on reports that "the Israeli military has deployed troops within the UNRWA headquarters in Gaza City."

The Times of Israel reported that interrogation of captured militants helped Israeli forces locate Hamas' underground intelligence center, which was ultimately located under UNRWA headquarters in the posh Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City.

“The IDF was here first, the first time was to destroy the enemy, but when we were here last time we collected a lot of intelligence documents and findings, a lot of prisoners, and thanks to that we got here. Now we launched a targeted operation to seize this capability,” said Colonel Benny Aharon, commander of the 401st Armored Brigade, during a media tour of the newly discovered tunnel.

“We had a base of information, but not enough to go down 20 meters and find it, we needed something more. We get information from captured prisoners, computers found, documents, maps,'' he said.

After it was reported that 12 UNRWA staff were involved in Hamas's brutal 10/7 attack on Israel, at least nine countries and the European Union suspended or reduced funding for the agency, prompting the UN Secretary-General. Antonio Guterres to appeal to countries. To continue supporting UNRWA.

"The [two] million civilians in Gaza depend on vital assistance from UNRWA for daily survival, but UNRWA's current funding will not allow it to meet all the needs to support them in February," Guterres said in a statement. " “While I understand their concerns – I myself was horrified by these allegations – I strongly appeal to the governments that have suspended their contributions to at least guarantee the continuity of UNRWA's operations.”