Israeli Radio Broadcasts May Reach Inside Gaza Tunnels

(VINnews) — During a recent operation, a group of IDF soldiers went down into a Gazan tunnel holding old-fashioned transistor radios.

Their mission was not directly combat-related. Rather, it was meant to determine how far AM radio signals could travel inside the tunnels. Recently, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi expanded the country’s most popular broadcaster, Army Radio, from FM-only band, to include complimentary AM channels–the waves of which travel much farther.

One purpose was so that emergency updates have a better chance of being heard by civilians in bomb shelters. In addition, troops in Gaza can benefit, as they were allowed to use transistor radios to stay informed, after surrendering their cellphones, which can be geolocated by Hamas.

In addition, there is hope that the radio transmission can be used to communicate with hostages in captivity, using custom-composed, morale-raising Army Radio broadcasts.

“It suddenly occurred to me that maybe some of those hostages also had access to transistor radios,” Karhi told Reuters. “If they had the means to hear their families’ voices, it would have a huge value in terms of morale — and for their relatives, too.”

There is a glimmer of hope that Hamas captors would possibly allow hostages to listen to the radio, in order to stave off despair or rebelliousness among the hostages.

However TOI quoted Ruth Pat-Horenczyk, a clinical psychology professor at Hebrew U, who suggested that if Hamas felt it would weaken its control of captives it would prevent them listening.

Since the addition of the AM signal, Army Radio has been pre-recording messages by hostage families for airing several times a day.

“They’re telling them: ‘Stay strong. We are fighting for you. Don’t worry. We’ll get to you. Stay strong,” Army Radio director Danny Zaken said.

At a Tel Aviv rally to mark the first birthday of Kfir Bibas, the youngest hostage, an Army Radio reporter approached one of the baby’s relatives explaining the station’s new capabilities and asking to record an interview.

He agreed: “If they are hearing us… We want to tell you that the families love you, that no one has forgotten you.”