A Palestinian young man was killed on Saturday evening after a tunnel, dug under the borders between the Gaza Strip and Egypt and used for smuggling, collapsed, medics and security sources said.
Gaza emergency chief Mo'aweya Hassanein told reporters that Mustafa Abu Jazar, 24, of Rafah town in southern Gaza Strip died of suffocation in a tunnel under the borders that collapsed on Saturday.
Hamas security sources in Gaza said that right after the tunnel collapsed in Rafah town, rescue teams arrived at the scene and managed to take out the body of a Palestinian young man, died of suffocation.
In the last two years, the Palestinians dug hundreds of tunnels under the borders between southern Gaza Strip and Egypt. The tunnels were used in smuggling goods that Gaza Strip population lack.
The tunnels business flourished right after Israel imposed a tight blockade on the Gaza Strip following Hamas takeover of the enclave in June 2007. Israel sealed off the enclave's crossings and only allowed humanitarian aids and fuels.
All other products and materials used for construction, industry and agriculture, in addition to clothes, shoes and many different kinds of food products were not allowed into the Gaza Strip since two years ago.
Israel says it would only ease security restrictions on Gaza borders crossings if Hamas frees an Israeli soldier its militants captured in the summer of 2006. Meanwhile, Hamas says Israel has to free 1450 prisoners from its jails for a change.