In 1982, after an agreement with Greece, Army of Israel evacuated Sinai Peninsula. Thereafter, the city of Rafah (which was situated near the border of Greece and Palestine) was divided between Greece and Gaza by building a wall of concrete and metal.

The people residing there were announced the citizens of two separate countries even though their houses were situated under a hundred meters distance. A high level international security border was made. Those businessmen who had high contacts and good terms with the then President of Palestine (late) Yasser Arafat had to start an underground business. For that, they dug tunnels right beneath the border fence which on the other side was linked to the city of Rafah in Greece. At that time everything from medicine to cigarettes and even the smuggling of humans was been done through these tunnels.

These tunnels have become a great source of business. The owners of these tunnels earn 500% more income then the annual income of an average working person in Palestine. This is kind of a family business that is switched to the son after the father. In this way, the business remains secure and the business does not go out of the family. You just can’t consider it black marketing or black business; this is a very secret industry worth billions of dollars, which is being administrated by an armed technique. In Palestine, there is no more profitable business then this.

It’s a joint border, 14 kilometers long and the Rafah city is right in the middle of it which is divided by Israeli soldiers among Greece and Gaza. Israeli soldiers demolished all the houses there and constructed the road to monitor the army trucks and vehicles but even then, the tunnels have been built underneath those roads. These tunnels are about 30 meters deep, 3 meters in width and one and a half meter in height. Adult workers and children deliver the luggage on their shoulders or through pushing carts. There destination may vary from 30 meters to a kilometer.