Field Update

On Thursday, 16 February 2012, a child was
killed when a tunnel collapsed near his family’s house in al-Zahra town, south
of Gaza City. 

According to investigations conducted by the
Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) and the testimony of the victim’s
father, at approximately 12:00 on Thursday, 16 February 2012, a tunnel
established by Palestinian resistance activists near an apartment building in al-Zahra
town, while Fadi Ramzi al-Qassas, 13, and his cousin Mohammed Ramai al-Qassas,
13, were playing near it.  Fadi fell into
the collapsed tunnel and suffocated.  The
father stated that he and his relatives, and later with the Civil Defense’s
assistance, attempted to save the child, but they failed and they were
eventually able to recover his body.   

PCHR has repeatedly received reports and
complaints about collapses of tunnel in residential areas, which left
casualties among civilians, including children. 
For instance, on 12 October 2010, Tamer ‘Abdul Hafez ‘Elwan, 15, and his
cousin, Wissam Yousef ‘Elawn, 15, were killed when a tunnel collapsed while
they were playing football near their houses in Jabalya refugee camp in the
northern Gaza Strip. 

PCHR is concerned over casualties resulting
from collapses of tunnels in the Gaza Strip. 
PCHR calls upon the government in Gaza to take necessary measures to
protect the civilian population.