Gaza Tunnel Owners Renew Smuggling Under Egypt Border

Before the Israeli offensive, some 90 percent of all products entering Gaza each month —as much as $40 million worth of contraband — came through the tunnels from Egypt, Omar Shaban, an economist who runs a consulting group in Gaza City said. The underground network was a crucial source of revenue and weapons for Hamas, which charged a one-time digging fee of 11,000 shekels ($2,750) for each tunnel.

Abu Jabal, 40, who had a crew of workers today trying to dig out a destroyed tunnel, said he suffered at least $100,000 in lost business because of the bombing.

“If the blockade continues, I’m going to dig another tunnel,” he said, “whatever it costs.”

There’s big money to be made in Gaza.