3 Palestinians Killed in Collapsed Tunnel, Trying to Break Israeli Siege of Gaza

Three dead after Gaza tunnel collapses

Published yesterday (updated) 15/12/2009 14:41 Al-Arish – Ma’an –

Three Palestinians were killed after a tunnel collapsed beneath the Egypt-Gaza border on Monday night.

The three were reported missing early on Tuesday, and later found by rescue workers.

Egyptian officials said they were informed of the collapse and the missing men by the Palestinian government in Gaza, the site of the collapsed tunnel was approximately 1,000 meters north of the Rafah crossing point, sources said.

Smugglers maintain a large network of underground tunnels along the Rafah border, importing goods made scarce by an Israeli-led blockade of Gaza.

Accidents in the tunnels are frequent. According to the Palestinian human rights organization Al-Mezan, 120 people have been killed working in the tunnel trade since its inception approximately three years ago.

Patient died in Gaza, Death toll due to the siege reaches 366

Tuesday December 15, 2009 18:23 by Ghassan Bannoura - 1 of IMEMC News Editorial Group

A Palestinian patient died on Tuesday after he was prevented by the Israeli military to leave the Gaza Strip for medical care.

Walied Madi, 38 years old, had Tuberculosis. Palestinian doctors were unable to treat him locally because of the siege.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip announced that with Madi death the number of patients that died because of the Israeli siege have reached 366.

Israel have placed the Gaza Strip since June 2007, leaving the 1.5milion Palestinians living there lacking food, fuel and medical supplies.

The Israeli military kidnaps 15 Palestinians from the West Bank

Tuesday December 15, 2009 18:36 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News & Agencies

The Israeli military kidnapped on Tuesday 15 Palestinian civilians during pre dawn invasions targeting a number of West Bank communities.

Israeli soldiers kidnapping a Palestinian man near Hebron – Photo by IMEMC’s Ghassan Bannoura 2008

The Israeli army radio announced that all kidnapped 15 men were taken to military detention camps for questioning. The radio added that all those kidnapped were on the army wanted list.

Palestinian sources reported invasions in Bethlehem city, southern West Bank., in addition to Qalqilia and Jenin, northern West Bank.

Chaos at Beit Jala checkpoint: 2 detained

Published yesterday (updated) 15/12/2009 22:40

Bethlehem – Ma’an –

The Beit Jala-Jerusalem Israeli occupation forces checkpoint was temporarily closed Tuesday night as a car accident injured an unknown number of people and Israeli border police detained two youth from the Bethlehem area, sources said.

An Israeli military spokeswoman confirmed an accident caused the checkpoint closure, but could not confirm the identities of those injured. Israeli media reported the closure was due to the discovery of Palestinians with explosives. The checkpoint was re-opened by 10pm, military sources said.

Two youth from the Duheisha Refugee Camp in Bethlehem were in fact detained, the military spokeswoman said, noting they were transferred to Israeli border police. She said the two were carrying a "15cm knife and a Japanese knife" respectively. The border police were not immediately available for comment on the issue.

The youth were detained on the tunnel road, but it was not clear whether the two incidents were related.

A third incident was reported by Radio Israel, saying Palestinian youth threw stones at Israeli vehicles west of Bethlehem near the Betar Illit settlement, just west of the tunnels road where the two other incidents were reported.

Three found dead inside a tunnel in the Gaza Strip

Tuesday December 15, 2009 18:05 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News & Agencies

Three Palestinian civilians were found dead on Tuesday afternoon inside a tunnel between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.

Under Ground Tunnels in Rafah- Photo by www.palestine-info.info

Palestinian sources reported that the Egyptian military have located the three men, who are from the same family, under the rubble as the tunnel they were trying to go through collapsed on Monday night.

Palestinian medical sources identified the three as 18-year-old Mahmoud Al Louh, his brother Ahmad, 17 and Fathi Al Louh, 45.

Since Israel placed the Gaza Strip under siege, the tunnels at the Gaza-Egypt boarders became a main source for much needed supplies for the 1.5 million Palestinians living the Gaza Strip.

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