The United Nations has warned that Israel's filling of tunnels in the Gaza Strip with salt water would cause serious harm to civilians and the environment.

This came in a statement published by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Thursday, commenting on reports emerging about Israel pumping seawater into tunnels belonging to the Palestinian resistance in Gaza.

The statement indicated that Israel's filling of the tunnels in Gaza with salt water could have serious negative effects on human rights, some in the long term, adding: "In this case, products necessary for the survival of civilians may also be at risk."

He also stressed that filling the tunnels with salt water could also cause widespread, long-term and serious environmental damage, and said: “Civilians must be protected.”

On Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing American officials, that Israel had begun implementing its plan to flood Gaza's tunnels with seawater.

American officials reported that the process of flooding the tunnels with seawater "is taking place through 7 different pumping systems, and is expected to last weeks."