Hamas militant dies in tunnel collapse in Gaza

A militant in Hamas's al-Qassam Brigades died after a tunnel he was in collapsed.

 (TOP) A fighter from the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, is seen inside an underground tunnel, in Gaza, August 18, 2014.  (photo credit: MOHAMMED SALEM/REUTERS)
(TOP) A fighter from the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, is seen inside an underground tunnel, in Gaza, August 18, 2014.
(photo credit: MOHAMMED SALEM/REUTERS)

A member of Hamas's military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, died after one of the tunnels used by the terrorist movement in the Gaza Strip collapsed east of Gaza City on Monday, the Brigades announced on Monday morning.

In May, Hamas's leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar claimed that the movement had 500 km. of tunnels in the Gaza Strip and that only five percent had been damaged in Operation Guardian of the Walls.

The entire Gaza Strip has an area of 365 square kilometers, which would mean that the tunnel systems must cover most of the coastal enclave, if Sinwar’s claims are true.

During the operation, Israel claimed that it had destroyed over 100 km. of Hamas's tunnel network (known as the "Metro").