Gaza Tunnels

A boom in the demand for illegal motorbikes in Gaza is fuelling a dangerous smuggling trade orchestrated via complex tunnels all the way from Egypt. “Bikes are dismantled in Egypt and transported through the tunnels in pieces, in view of Egyptian border guards and Israeli drones, to be reassembled in workshops in the besieged Palestinian territory. But the trade has come at a price. According to Khalil Shahin, economic director of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), a 25% increase in the number of motorcycles on Gaza’s streets over the past seven months has caused at least 160 deaths and about 1,000 injuries. Under pressure from the PCHR, the Hamas government has taken action. Motorbikes were banned along the busy coast road at weekends during the summer. Three driving schools for motorcyclists were opened, and licences and tax – costing 1,300 shekels (£210) a year – are now mandatory.”