Gazans work on rebuilding tunnels destroyed by airstrikes

Two thirds of tunnels were destroyed during the Israeli offensive Life has almost returned to normal in Gaza as tunnels are being recovered from under the rubble, following the truce between Israel and Egypt on Wednesday night. The scene of destruction was startling for tunnel owners when they arrived at the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt to check on their tunnels.
Dozens of bombs dropped on Gaza by the Israeli Air Force have caused extensive damage to tunnels, which have represented a lifeline for the Palestinians since Hamas took power of the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2007.
Israeli reports on Friday claim that the Israeli army launched 140 raids on tunnels in the town of Rafah for three days before the truce.
Many Gazans are currently working on removing sand in search of the tunnels damaged by Israeli raids.
Israel was consistently targeting the 13 kilometre border between the Strip and Egypt. Bombing focused on the Palestinian side of the border.
Workers said that the aggression destroyed dozens of tunnels that transfer cement, fuel and food to the besieged coastal strip.
Owners of the tunnels who were inspecting the damage said: "We will re-build it; this is the only way forward."
Ahmed Salah, 27, shovelled sand until he reached the tunnel’s entrance, which remained intact despite the severity of the raids. "Our tunnel wasn’t destroyed like the others", said Salah with relief.
Some tunnel owners hired workers and excavators to remove the sand and remnants of the bombs that fell on the border.
Mohammed Kishta with his giant truck loaded with gravel from near the gate of Salah exited the tunnel advising his colleagues to be careful when entering because of the massive destruction. "Our tunnels will operate again as shelling did not hit them" he said.
Gaza needs food, medical and construction supplies after eight days of the air war waged by the Israeli army on the Strip which resulted in the deaths of more than 160 Palestinians.
A Palestinian human rights report said that widespread human and material losses were caused by the aggression launched by the Israeli occupation army over eight days on the Gaza Strip.
Wael Hassan, 21, said: "Tunnels are the lifeline for Gaza people through which we bring food fuel and building materials.”
Hassan who was removing sand from a tunnel and suffered a direct hit said: "I did not go out to work in the days of the aggression out of fear but now we started rebuilding it."
Two-thirds of the tunnels were destroyed by the airstrikes according to Rafah Mayor Subhi Abu Radwan.
Egyptian intelligence has started exploring the needs of the Gaza Strip in collaboration with the Palestinian government in Gaza and the Israeli side, according to press reports on Friday.
The tunnels remain the main source of fuel and construction material supplies to the Strip under siege by occupation authorities since the summer of 2007.