AL-ARISH: Three Palestinians were killed at dawn on Saturday when a tunnel collapsed under Egypt s border with the Gaza Strip, an Egyptian security official said.
Police found the bodies after hearing a loud explosion near the Salaheddin Gate which leads from the Egyptian side of the Rafah border town into the impoverished Palestinian coastal territory.
Several Palestinians have died in similar incidents in recent months in the tunnels, which are used to smuggle arms, fuel and other supplies into Gaza.
In mid-October, Egyptian security forces blew up 10 tunnels used by smugglers to slip contraband into the territory which is ruled by Hamas.
Israel has enforced a blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power there in June 2007 during violent clashes with the Fatah faction loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Israel has repeatedly urged Egypt to do more to shut down the tunnels. -AFP
