3 Palestinians killed in Gaza tunnel

JERUSALEM, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- One of hundreds of smuggling-tunnels collapsed in southern Gaza early Friday, killing three Palestinians and injuring another, a Palestinian official said.

Dr. Muawiya Hussanein, the head of Gaza's Health Ministry emergency and ambulance services, confirmed the deaths, the Palestinian Maan news agency said.

The cause of the collapse was not reported.

The three people who died were members of the al-Lanham family in Rafah and Khan Younis in southern Gaza, the International Middle East Media Center said.

In an effort to bypass the Israeli imposed blockade on the Gaza Strip -- in effect since the Hamas takeover in June 2007 -- locals dig the tunnels to smuggle goods, weapons and people into the Gaza Strip.

A report published earlier this month by Israel's Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center said the Palestinian Center for Democracy and Conflict Resolution estimated 16,000 Palestinians were employed in the Gaza tunnel industry, working in 800 tunnels.