Yesterday there was a tunnel collapse between Rafah and Egypt. Initial reports claimed 6 dead; the latest reports say there are 3 dead and seven still missing, so I am adjusting the self-death count accordingly until we hear more.
But meanwhile there was another tunnel collapse this morning, killing a 22-year old who was in the process of digging it.
On August 1, five were killed in a major collapse but I didn't count them because of Ha'aretz reports that Egypt had caused the collapse. Yet in reports about yesterday's tunnel collapse in Palestinian Arab media they did not refer to the earlier collapse as being the fault of Egypt, although they have accused Egypt of pumping poison gas in the tunnels in the past.
The tunnel industry is booming, and a Gaza man even stocked his zoo with animals smuggled under the border, including lions and monkeys that were drugged and dragged through tunnels (not to mention "frilly underwear.") Meanwhile, demand for goods that Israel has allowed into Gaza has been reduced greatly, while more exotic items are coming daily.
Which begs the question: if Gazans are still dying daily because of the "siege" (the latest claim in PalArabic media is about 230 dead since last year), why are they not smuggling sick people into Egypt?
I guess their lives aren't worth as much to Gazans as having a couple of monkeys in a dusty zoo.
The 2008 PalArab self-death count is downwardly adjusted for now to 147.
UPDATE: A second dead man from today's collapse, possibly the two are a father and son. 148.
