This Friday, in Kirchberg, a replica of the Hamas-Tunnels where hostages are detained is currently being displayed to the public.
After being displayed in front of the UN in Geneva for the first time, and after having been displayed last week outside of the European Parliament in Brussels, the replica of a Hamas tunnel can now be viewed in Luxembourg this Friday. Next week, it will embark on a tour through France.
The NGO "Cooperation Israel/Luxembourg," propped up this immersive experience to shed light on the ordeal of the Hamas' hostages. This initiative was initially launched by the "Hostages and Missing Families Forum", an organisation formed by the families of Israeli hostages abducted to Gaza since the attack on October 7th 2023. The replica aims to raise awareness about the dire living conditions the hostages have endured for the past 160 days.
The replica is based on testimonies from hostages that have been freed. The atmosphere within the tunnels is depicted as distressing - according to Boaz Unger from the "Hostages and Missing Families Forum," this is conveyed through the dimly lit environment of the replica and the "authentic" noises that echo throughout. These sounds are original recordings obtained by the Israeli army.
As the Forum organiser explained to the Belgian public service broadcaster RTBF, the aim is to create an experience as realistic as possible. "Everything is realistic, even the backdrop and the sounds. It's about putting pressure on the captors. It lasts for 3 minutes, but sometimes you have the feeling that time doesn't pass," said Unger in Brussels.
The aim of the NGO "Cooperation Israel/Luxembourg" is to strengthen cooperation between the Grand-Duchy and Israel and to upkeep cultural, social and economic relations between the two countries but also to coordinate mutual support from local and international organisations.
