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Last update - 10:35 31/08/2008
Hamas making $20 million a month from Gaza smuggling tunnels
By Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Egypt, Rafah, Hamas

Arab sources report that Hamas recently laid a pipeline for supplying the blockaded Gaza Strip with fuel from Egypt.

In a move that indicates that Hamas is trying to place the smuggling operation between Egyptian and Palestinian Rafah on an official footing, the pipeline was laid in one of several tunnels dug specifically for this purpose.

At a conference last week in Rafah to discuss the smuggling tunnels phenomenon, Hamas government officials made it clear that they mean to prevent any new tunnels from operating, and to increase oversight of some 200 tunnels already in use. Hamas wants to thwart use of the tunnels for drug smuggling, and the exploitation of child labor in digging the tunnels.
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The conference was organized by a Gazan human rights group under the banner: "The tunnels - advantages and disadvantages." Speakers, including Rafah Mayor Issa al-Nashar and Hamas' civil defense chief Yousef al-Zahar, praised the tunnels as important conduits for weapons for the "resistance," but also pointed to the dangers inherent in their operation. Nashar noted that numerous civilians were recently hurt by the collapse of tunnels in the Rafah area. He blamed some of these incidents on Egypt, which he accused of blowing up some tunnels and flooding others.

Egypt has indeed ratcheted up its anti-tunnel efforts lately, and is making impressive strides in locating tunnels and shutting them down.

Nashar demanded that a committee be appointed to supervise the materials entering Gaza through the tunnels, as well as the tunnel diggers' workload.

Yousef al-Zahar reported that his personnel had recently participated in rescue efforts at 16 collapsed tunnels, in which 19 people were killed and more than 100 injured. He said there are four reasons tunnels collapse: a fuel leak (in which case the tunnel should not be used for six months because of flammable fumes), poison gas piped in (which Hamas accuses Egypt of doing), improper digging and water flooding.

The national security commander for the border region, Ibrahim Abu al-Najar, reported that there are 200 tunnels in operation. He said that Hamas policemen are preventing new tunnels from opening, and are keeping an eye on the others to prevent drug smuggling.

One of the tunnel proprietors at the conference estimated that the industry is providing employment for some 4,000 people.

Arab sources say that children are frequently used in the digging process, and carry birds as an early-warning system to indicate a lack of oxygen. If the bird passes out, air is pumped into the tunnel.

Various estimates put Hamas' monthly profits from the tunnels at $20 million. Hamas levies a special tax on tunnel proprietors, and also collect fees for every bit of contraband - whether goods or people (wanted gunmen, people who need to go abroad for study or medical treatments, etc.) Besides explosives and metals for fashioning rockets, the array of products smuggled through the tunnels is staggering: livestock, drugs, electrical appliances, fuel, cigarettes, clothing, toys and much more.

Related articles:
  • Egypt uncovers eight smuggling tunnels north of Gaza crossing
  • Rafah tunnel smugglers fear truce may be bad for business
  • Six Egypt police wounded as Gazans try to storm Rafah border
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      1.   And Israel alows this? 04:29  |  John 31/08/08
      2.   Rafah will probably collapse in the end 04:49  |  Free Gilad Shalit 31/08/08
      3.   it`s normal they use tunnels: they are under inhuman siege! 05:48  |  Historian 31/08/08
      4.   example of my point, Free Gilad Shalit, name unknown 05:49  |  John 31/08/08
      5.   These pipelines should be easy to sabotage 06:01  |  McQueen 31/08/08
      6.   Anything that separates Israel from Gaza is a good thing 06:13  |  David G 31/08/08
      7.   Jews in Ghettos Dug Tunnels too 06:53  |  Roger 31/08/08
      8.   to #5 06:57  |  Howard 31/08/08
      9.   where there`s a will , there`s a way 07:15  |  VIPER 31/08/08
      10.   Hamastine is growing 07:29  |  zionist forever 31/08/08
      11.   hamas 08:03  |  freedom 31/08/08
      12.   Zionist forever - wrong about the time! 08:20  |  Palestinian Brit 31/08/08
      13.   McQueen - tunnels 08:23  |  Palestinian Brit 31/08/08
      14.   Egypt and the ?Palestinians?. 08:54  |  Jean Van Daem 31/08/08
      15.   McQueen absolutely right 10:18  |  John 31/08/08
      16.   It`s terrible the Palestinians are forced into this 10:19  |  Dutch 31/08/08
      17.   #14 Jean Van Daem 10:40  |  Dave 31/08/08
      18.   Let them get everything from everywhere else and leave us alone 10:52  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 31/08/08
      19.   PalBrit 10:55  |  x-ray 31/08/08
      20.   Not "Arabs". Jean van Daem - "Palestinians" # 14 11:12  |  Clickfool 31/08/08
      21.   #14 Click 11:21  |  Kathy 31/08/08
      22.   How much of this money goes to help the people? 11:30  |  Lea 31/08/08
      23.   Lea - was it a rhetorical question? 12:25  |  Palestinian Brit 31/08/08
      24.   Kathy - the Arabs that have invaded Israel? 12:27  |  Palestinian Brit 31/08/08
      25.   #17 Dave re Jean van Daem 12:56  |  Ben Alofs 31/08/08
      26.   HAMAS chased away the small clans & did a deal with the others! 13:15  |  PETER SM 31/08/08
      27.   Where does Jean `come from`. Where do Jews `come from`? 13:36  |  x-ray 31/08/08
      28.   The "Union of Tunnelers"? 13:40  |  FOX 31/08/08
      29.   #22 Lea, regarding your rhetorical question.. 13:54  |  Ben Alofs 31/08/08
      30.   Hey, That`s my Family tunnel buddy! 13:56  |  FOX 31/08/08
      31.   CFOOL "Not Arabs" Palestinian covenant "Part of the Arab nation" 14:02  |  PETER SM 31/08/08
      32.   And Israel 14:04  |  Dav 31/08/08
      33.   Wait Zionists! 15:11  |  Ismail 31/08/08
      34.   A Nation of Lemmings 15:14  |  Elisheva 31/08/08
      35.   tunnels-no more $100million veggies flower trade-no wonder 16:07  |  sara 31/08/08
      36.   HERE IS A MUCH EASIER WAY TO DEPEND ON EGYPT 16:26  |  Ian 31/08/08
      37.   Clickfool #20 - Nobody who knows history buys it. 16:29  |  Elihu 31/08/08
      38.   clicky,it was the Brits that colonised the Middle East,not Israel 16:35  |  coloniser 31/08/08
      39.   palestinian brit,"Did you ever see a demonstration against Hamas 16:46  |  terrornator 31/08/08
      40.   Gaza..`the light unto nations`.... 16:48  |  Edithann, USA 31/08/08
      41.   Ismail - oh, come on. 17:05  |  Elihu 31/08/08
      42.   Hamas suffering from Tunnel Vision 17:10  |  H 31/08/08
      43.   Lift the blockade and there won`t be smuggling 17:12  |  Natallie Durson 31/08/08
      44.   Doris (Dutch) Be Serious for a Moment 17:22  |  FOX 31/08/08
      45.   It`s terrible Dutch is forced to post propaganda 17:32  |  Joe Sittizen 31/08/08
      46.   To end tunnels, end seige 17:38  |  Jeff 31/08/08
      47.   Does anyone else see the humor in this? 17:43  |  Lynn 31/08/08
      48.   For Coloniser # 38 17:48  |  Clickfool 31/08/08
      49.   # 20 Clicky....no, not emptied of Gazans 17:48  |  Lynn 31/08/08
      50.   #13 Palestinian Brit - "Child Labor"?? 17:50  |  * BEN JABO 31/08/08
      51.   #46 Jeff - Just what do you base your facts on? 17:59  |  * BEN JABO 31/08/08
      52.   Of course Natallie`s up to date with her Jewish libels 18:12  |  x-ray 31/08/08
      53.   Ben Jabo - Child labour 18:13  |  Palestinian Brit 31/08/08
      54.   he he historian 18:16  |  x-ray 31/08/08
      55.   Facts - Abu Jabo 18:17  |  Palestinian Brit 31/08/08
      56.   Pal Brit mumbles `if Israel declared peace instead of war` 18:32  |  x-ray 31/08/08
      57.   #53 Palestinian Brit - Rather funny wouldn`t u say? 18:53  |  * BEN JABO 31/08/08
      58.   #55 Palestinian Brit - You`ve lost the Timelines 18:57  |  * BEN J ABO 31/08/08
      59.   clicky,so when britian and the french signed a secret agreement 18:59  |  coloniser 31/08/08
      60.   Ben Jabo - what questions? 19:23  |  Palestinian Brit 31/08/08
      61.   Palestinian Brit # 55 _ Re Peace 19:25  |  Eli 31/08/08
      62.   Clickfool: England was obeying UN orders 19:32  |  Israeli citizen 31/08/08
      63.   #44 Fox, we no longer live in the 19th century 20:10  |  Ben Alofs 31/08/08
      64.   What actually happened, Coloniser? # 59 20:13  |  Clickfool 31/08/08
      65.   Fox #44 20:25  |  Jasper 31/08/08
      66.   Ben Alofs, London is the most scrutinized city in the world 21:25  |  Israeli citizen 31/08/08
      67.   Ben Alofs and ethnic cleansing 21:32  |  Israeli citizen 31/08/08
      68.   Eli - BOTH sides have to declare peace! 22:03  |  Palestinian Brit 31/08/08
      69.   Palestinian Brit _ I Understand...I Am Iraqi, I know How It Is 22:55  |  Eli 31/08/08
      70.