Tunnel Explosion in Rafah Kills Two: 2008 Tunnel Death Toll Rises to 39

Tunnels connecting the Gaza Strip with Egypt continue to claim the lives of Palestinian civilians.
Two persons were killed on Friday evening, raising the number of Palestinians who have been killed in tunnels in 2008 alone to 39 (48 since 2006).
According to the investigations of Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, Khalid Murad Sha’at, 35, and Khalil Issa Tabasi, 19, both from the southern Gaza governorate of Khan Younis, were killed at around 15:30 on Friday, 10 October 2008, after a cooking gas canister exploded in a tunnel near the Yibna neighborhood on the Egyptian border.
The canister burst while the deceased persons were smuggling gas canisters.
In spite of the fact that working inside tunnels is hazardous, the deteriorating standards of living and unprecedented levels of unemployment and poverty lead many young people to risk their lives for the sake of making a living.
They seek to do such risky and life-threatening jobs after job opportunities diminished in the Gaza Strip.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights expresses its deep sorrow for the continuous death and injury of young people while working in tunnels and due to neglecting safety and security measures.
In spite of the Center’s past calls with this regard and the intervention of the Ministry of Interior, the number of tunnel victims continues to rise.
Therefore, Al Mezan calls the government in Gaza to take measures to put an end to this phenomenon and take effective measures to protect civilians’ life and wellbeing.
This is particularly essential in light of the fact that working in tunnels becomes a regular job that thousands do now.
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