Hamas tunnel workers earn $200 per month

IDF uncovers Hamas tunnels
IDF uncovers Hamas tunnels

An indictment against six Hamas detainees reveals details about their pay.

An indictment and detention request against six Hamas detainees presented by Israel's Southern District (Criminal) State Prosecutor yesterday against the operatives reveals details about the salaries they earned for digging tunnels. The Hamas men in their 20s and 30s were arrested in two incidents on July 14 and July 16. The charges include attempted murder, and conspiracy to murder.

One of the detainees revealed that he received NIS 50 per day for a 7-8 hour day during which he would be part of a team digging channels in the ground for Hamas communications cables. This was relatively well paid work. According to one of the accused the salary for digging tunnels for shooting rockets was $200 per month. The indictment says, "The work was carried out at night after other activists working in the tunnels brought out sacks of sand. The accused then emptied the sacks onto trucks outside the tunnel and assembled blocks of concrete in the tunnel that had been on the trucks. For this the accused earned $200 per month."

Three of the accused allegedly dug a 70 meter tunnel with the intention of firing mortar shells from the tunnel opening to Israel. They had 12 shells directed towards Israel and were awaiting telephone orders to fire them but were prevented from doing so due to Israel Air Force bombing overhead. The following morning on July 16 they were arrested by IDF soldiers operating in the area.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on August 11, 2014

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2014

IDF uncovers Hamas tunnels
IDF uncovers Hamas tunnels
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