With its walls daubed with pro-Hamas slogans and the Muslim call to prayer sounding from its minarets, it looks like the densely populated streets of Gaza City.
But Israel Defence Forces soldiers have stalked these streets since 2005 as part of close-quarters combat training in a fake desert city in Israel known as ‘Mini Gaza’.
Ahead of a widely anticipated ground assault, troops have been preparing to fight their way through the real Gazan streets at the Tze’elim army base around 10 miles from the border with the Gaza Strip.
The £45million fake city, complete with murals of Hamas leaders and the frequent sound of the muezzin, who calls Muslims to prayer – was built with US help in 2005.
It occupies 60 acres and has 600 buildings including pretend shops, schools, houses, as well as fake tunnels and eight-storey apartment blocks.
Israeli soldiers take positions during a training session simulating urban warfare at the Zeelim army base, southern Israel
Israeli soldiers rest next to a mural depicting the late Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, during an urban warfare exercise at an army training facility, in Zeelim army base, southern Israel, Jan. 4, 2022. Officially, the site is known as the Urban Warfare Training Center. But to soldiers, it is known as Mini Gaza
Israeli soldiers climb on a wall as they conduct a mock assault during an urban warfare exercise at an army training facility, at the Zeelim army base
An Israeli soldier dressed as a Palestinian militant, left, lie on the ground next to his colleague pretending to be dead, during training session simulating urban warfare at the Zeelim army base, southern Israel, Jan. 4, 2022
Two M-16 rifles hanging on a wall with a graffiti featuring the Palestinian flag at the IDF Urban Warfare Training Center at the Zeelim army base, southern Israel
It is officially known as the Urban Warfare Training Center.
But the Israeli soldiers who carry out military training within its walls call it ‘Mini Gaza’ because of its striking similarity.
The tight alleyways, concrete buildings and open areas are designed to simulate the urban environments in which Israel’s soldiers will have to operate.
Some soldiers don the red-and-white checkered scarves of Hamas and wield AK-47 assault rifles to role-play enemy fighters in drills.
To create an authentic environment, the warren of narrow streets are also decorated with Palestinian flags and ‘Free Gaza’ slogans that are produced by the Israeli army’s only official graffiti artist.
The training centre can accommodate exercises for an entire brigade of 2,000 soldiers.
Visiting American and European troops have also trained at Mini Gaza.
Each time conflict has broken out with Hamas, Israel has been accused of using disproportionate force in crowded residential areas, contributing to the civilian death toll.
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The Israeli military says it makes every effort to spare civilians, including building Mini Gaza to train its soldiers, while it accuses Hamas of using them as human shields.
Israeli soldiers carry supplies at the end of an urban warfare exercise session at an army training facility at the Zeelim army base, southern Israel
Israeli soldiers are seen trough a broken window of a guarding post during an urban warfare exercise
An Israeli soldier pretending to be dead Palestinian militant lies on the ground during a training session simulating urban warfare at the Zeelim army base
Israeli soldiers participate in a training session simulating urban warfare
An Israeli soldier reads from a book next to graffiti featuring the Palestinian flag, during an urban warfare exercise in an army training facility at the Zeelim army base
Now, Israel is widely expected to launch a real ground offensive in order to kill Hamas leaders, recover captives and destroy the group’s military infrastructure, much of which is in residential areas.
Nearly 400,000 military reservists, along with regular infantry units and heavily armoured battalions are encircling Gaza ahead of what is expected to be a major ground assault.
Street-by-street fighting would likely cause mounting casualties on both sides.
Israel has ordered more than 1 million Palestinians – almost half the territory’s population – to leave Gaza City and the surrounding area for the enclave’s south.
The military says it is trying to clear away civilians ahead of a major campaign against Hamas in the north, where it says the militants have extensive networks of tunnels and rocket launchers.
Hamas meanwhile has urged people in the Gaza Strip to stay in their homes, and the Israeli military on Sunday released photos it said showed a Hamas roadblock preventing traffic from moving south.
Hospitals in Gaza are expected to run out of generator fuel in the next 24 hours, endangering the lives of thousands of patients, according to the U.N. Gaza’s sole power plant shut down for lack of fuel after Israel completely sealed off the 25-mile long territory following the Hamas attack.
The World Health Organisation said hospitals are ‘overflowing’ as people seek safety.
‘We are concerned about disease outbreaks due to mass displacement and poor water and sanitation,’ it said. Four hospitals in northern Gaza are no longer functioning and 21 have received Israeli orders to evacuate. Doctors have refused, saying it would mean death for critically ill patients and newborns on ventilators.
The WHO said water shortages caused by Israel’s decision to cut off water supplies, combined with a lack of fuel for pumps and desalination stations, put thousands of hospital patients at risk.
‘Water is needed to ensure sanitary conditions on inpatient wards, in operation rooms, and emergency departments. It is essential for the prevention of hospital associated infections and for the prevention of outbreaks in hospitals,’ the WHO said.
Israel has said the siege won’t be lifted until Hamas releases all the captives.
