Hamas member killed in Gaza tunnel collapse
Hamas member killed in Gaza tunnel collapse
A 24-year-old Hamas member died when a tunnel collapsed on him, the group's military wing said Wednesday.
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A tunnel collapsed on Hamas member Muhammed Ashraf Abed [Getty]
A Hamas member was killed when a tunnel collapsed on him, the group's military wing said Wednesday.
The man killed was 24-year-old Muhammad Ashraf Abed, the Izz ad-Din Al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement. Abed was from the city of Rafah, in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Hamas has constructed a network of tunnels beneath Gaza since it took power of the enclave in 2007.
The tunnels are dug through sandy soil, making them susceptible to collapse. Three Palestinians were killed in September when a tunnel between Gaza and Egypt collapsed.
Israel has previously destroyed several tunnels running out of Gaza, saying that they are used to smuggle weapons and fighters into the country.
Some Palestinians say the tunnels are a way for people and day-to-day supplies to get in and out of the besieged coastal enclave, which has been under Israeli blockade since 2007.
During the 11-day assault on Gaza May last year, Israeli primarily targeted the “metro” tunnel network that allowed Hamas militants to launch thousands of rockets.
Israel's May bombing campaign killed more than 250 Palestinians, including 66 children.
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