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Tunnels between Gaza and Egypt are back in business

The primary commerce of Rafah, Egypt, focuses around the tunnel network that circumvents the Israeli blockade of Gaza, and business once again is booming.

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Nov. 27, 2012

Tunnel digging has become a lucrative business for families along the Egyptian and Gaza border. Work along the area ceased during eight days of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, but it resumed shortly after a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas took effect.

Nikki Kahn / The Washington Post

Mohammed Bahrawi, a Hamas guard, left, watches as Awad al-Arja, 25, dig a tunnel along the Egyptian and Gaza border. A tunnel network circumvents the Israeli blockade of Gaza, and business once again is booming.

Nov. 27, 2012

Mohammed Bahrawi, a Hamas guard, left, watches as Awad al-Arja, 25, dig a tunnel along the Egyptian and Gaza border. A tunnel network circumvents the Israeli blockade of Gaza, and business once again is booming.

Nikki Kahn / The Washington Post

A worker descends into a tunnel to haul rocks from the neighboring Egypt to the Gaza border. Since leaving Gaza seven years ago, Israel’s military has lost its on-the-ground ability to stop tunnel smuggling. Although the tunnels are used to bring in food and other essentials, Israel says they also are used to smuggle in weapons and explosives for Gaza’s militants to use.

Nov. 27, 2012

A worker descends into a tunnel to haul rocks from the neighboring Egypt to the Gaza border. Since leaving Gaza seven years ago, Israel’s military has lost its on-the-ground ability to stop tunnel smuggling. Although the tunnels are used to bring in food and other essentials, Israel says they also are used to smuggle in weapons and explosives for Gaza’s militants to use.

Nikki Kahn / The Washington Post

A tunnel that transports fish and other goods is well-maintained, but some tunnels were partially destroyed by airstrikes during the latest conflict between Israel and Hamas. Israel targeted 140 tunnels during the recent operation. The bombs buried entrances, destroyed cement-reinforced walls and cratered the muddy access roads used by flatbed trucks that deliver goods across the strip.

Nov. 27, 2012

A tunnel that transports fish and other goods is well-maintained, but some tunnels were partially destroyed by airstrikes during the latest conflict between Israel and Hamas. Israel targeted 140 tunnels during the recent operation. The bombs buried entrances, destroyed cement-reinforced walls and cratered the muddy access roads used by flatbed trucks that deliver goods across the strip.

Nikki Kahn / The Washington Post

Ismael al-Arja, 25, and Mahmoud al-Arja, 25, watch as a bucket of soil is hoisted out of the tunnel they are working on along the Egyptian and Gaza Border.

Nov. 27, 2012

Ismael al-Arja, 25, and Mahmoud al-Arja, 25, watch as a bucket of soil is hoisted out of the tunnel they are working on along the Egyptian and Gaza Border.

Nikki Kahn / The Washington Post

Ismael al-Arja, 25, and Mahmoud al-Arja, 25, take a break from digging tunnels to smoke cigarettes and drink tea.

Nov. 27, 2012

Ismael al-Arja, 25, and Mahmoud al-Arja, 25, take a break from digging tunnels to smoke cigarettes and drink tea.

Nikki Kahn / The Washington Post

Awad al-Arja, 25, a digger, urges his horse forward. “Some wanted to get to work during the bombings,” said Mohammed Bahrawi, 23, a Hamas guard who monitors a particularly busy patch of tunnels. “But, look, they were crazy. We wouldn’t let them.”

Nov. 27, 2012

Awad al-Arja, 25, a digger, urges his horse forward. “Some wanted to get to work during the bombings,” said Mohammed Bahrawi, 23, a Hamas guard who monitors a particularly busy patch of tunnels. “But, look, they were crazy. We wouldn’t let them.”

Nikki Kahn / The Washington Post

Workers put up scaffolding along the Rafah crossing point, which borders Egypt and Gaza. The most common tunnels are spacious enough for men to stand in with room to spare and wide enough for large crates to pass through. In one dusty shaft, a makeshift elevator carried men up and down.

Nov. 27, 2012

Workers put up scaffolding along the Rafah crossing point, which borders Egypt and Gaza. The most common tunnels are spacious enough for men to stand in with room to spare and wide enough for large crates to pass through. In one dusty shaft, a makeshift elevator carried men up and down.

Nikki Kahn / The Washington Post

A worker takes time out from digging tunnels to pray. The men, who earn about $15 a day, sweat in the sun. Small fires smoke from several of the pits, used to heat kettles of water for morning tea.

Nov. 27, 2012

A worker takes time out from digging tunnels to pray. The men, who earn about $15 a day, sweat in the sun. Small fires smoke from several of the pits, used to heat kettles of water for morning tea.

Nikki Kahn / The Washington Post

Tunnel digging has become a way of life for families along the Egyptian and Gaza border.

Nov. 27, 2012

Tunnel digging has become a way of life for families along the Egyptian and Gaza border.

Nikki Kahn / The Washington Post

A woman and child looks out from a shrapnel-ridden home as workers dig tunnels. The sandy soil above the diggers has shifted during the recent bombardment, and some believe collapses are inevitable as they attempt to reopen the passages.

Nov. 27, 2012

A woman and child looks out from a shrapnel-ridden home as workers dig tunnels. The sandy soil above the diggers has shifted during the recent bombardment, and some believe collapses are inevitable as they attempt to reopen the passages.

Nikki Kahn / The Washington Post

A damaged container of fish from Egypt waits to be transported.

Nov. 27, 2012

A damaged container of fish from Egypt waits to be transported.

Nikki Kahn / The Washington Post

Ismael al-Arja, 25, and Mahmoud al-Arja, 25, take a break from digging tunnels to smoke cigarettes and drink tea. “They will bomb again,” said Arja. “And then we will dig again – and there will be more money.”

Nov. 27, 2012

Ismael al-Arja, 25, and Mahmoud al-Arja, 25, take a break from digging tunnels to smoke cigarettes and drink tea. “They will bomb again,” said Arja. “And then we will dig again – and there will be more money.”

Nikki Kahn / The Washington Post

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