Gaza: Alongside the Gaza /Egypt borderline, dozens of easily seen tunnels are erected, apparent to all, with small tents for protection from sun and rain, with many young and aged Gazans who seem tired and miserable.
From a long and dark hole, I saw a youth being pulled out. He was covered with dust and sweating. Once out, he looked at the tunnel and said "God damn you, a hell under the ground."
The nicknamed Abu Ahmad, 27, lives in Rafah city in the southern Gaza strip. He digs tunnels as hundreds of Rafah men do to earn a living and feed their families.
"I hate this place, it is a piece of hell under the ground, but I have to work here like many Palestinian youths, because we don't have any other alternative," Abu Ahmad said he didn't want to do the dangerous job and die and leave his family but he couldn't find any other work. He is married with a four-year-old son and a one-year-old daughter.
Abu Ahmad gets 50 Israeli shekels (Dh44) per day and he works from 9am to 5pm digging tunnels or pulling out goods.
"The tunnel is about 15 metres below ground level, a square-like compartmentalised path, with minimal air to breathe, and the possibility of attack from Israel or Egypt anytime," Abu Ahmad described his tunnel.
Egypt recently escalated its campaign against the tunnels that enter into Gaza. Israel and Egypt say that the tunnels are used for smuggling weapons and explosives to Hamas, and other armed groups in the Gaza Strip.
For the 1.5 million people in Gaza, the tunnels have also become a main source of goods, including fuel, since Israel tightened its embargo after Hamas took control of the strip in 2007.
Most of the people who work in the tunnels could be targets of Israeli air strikes at any time. In this area, three kilometres from the border, there are about 1,000 to 1,200 holes. Digging takes from five to seven months, depending on depth and distance, to reach Egypt.
Abu Ahmad denied transporting any arms or explosives through the tunnels he works in and said, "Hamas knows everything about every tunnel in this area and if we bring arms or drugs, we will be arrested, they monitor everything." He added, "We are allowed only to bring food, fuel and essential goods."
Abu Ahmad said he knows the risk he is taking working without insurance or health care of safety gear but he is forced into doing this because of poverty.
The main problems facing workers, is death resulting from tunnel collapse, the hospital reports recorder 35 deaths since the end of 2008.
Hamas makes rules to control the situation. The tunnel must have a licence and so must the workers. The contractor must be paid $40,000 compensation for families who lose their sons.
Abu Ahmad said many people get benefits from this way but the tunnel workers "are losing our lives almost for nothing".
