The Al Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, issued a press release on Thursday stating that one of its members died when a siege-busting tunnel collapsed on him, in Jabalia town, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. The fighter, Mohammad Riziq Jneid, 25, died in the tunnel accident on Thursday at dawn, the Brigades stated.
The brigades added that the fighter “was killed in a special mission”, and vowed to continue the path of resistance until liberation and independence.
More than 160 Palestinians were killed in similar tunnel accidents since Israel imposed the siege on Gaza in 2006.
Most of the tunnels across the border with Egypt are used for smuggling essential food supplies into the besieged Gaza Strip.
There are hundreds of siege-busting tunnels across the border while the Minister of Economy at the Hamas-led government decided that all tunnels must be shut down following the opening of the Rafah Border Terminal between Gaza and Egypt.
Over 300 patients have died since the siege began due to a lack of essential medical equipment, and having been denied exit passes by the Israeli government to receive treatment outside of Gaza.
Nearly 170 medicines, and 140 other medical items, are currently out of stock in the Gaza Strip.
