3 Palestinians killed in Gaza smuggling tunnel collapse

Palestinian officials say a smuggling tunnel running under the Gaza-Egypt border has collapsed, killing three people.

Moiawa Hassanien, a Palestinian health official, says the incident happened Friday near the border town of Rafah.

The three men were from the same family, according to medical sources.

The sources said civil defense units and residents helped dig out the men. They added that the tunnel collapsed after a sewage line burst and flooded the tunnel.

Israel and Egypt have blockaded Gaza since the militant group Hamas seized power there in 2007. Israel, the EU and the U.S. label Hamas a terrorist group.

Gaza residents use tunnels to haul in supplies such as food, concrete and electrical goods.

Israel charges they smuggle arms and has bombed the tunnels to try to stop weapons smuggling.

No reason was given for Friday's collapse. More than 100 Palestinians have died in tunnel collapses this year.