Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In Rafah, a city at the southern tip of Gaza, borders shifted hands four times in just a few decades—from the Ottomans to the British, Egyptians, and Israelis. When Israel and Egypt signed a peace agreement in 1979, Rafah was split in half by a massive wall, separating families and neighbors overnight.
Determined to stay connected, Gazans began digging tunnels beneath the wall to reunite with loved ones on the other side. What started as secret passageways for families soon evolved into vital lifelines for the entire community. With access to Egypt cut off, these tunnels became underground trade routes, bringing in much-needed essentials like food, medicine, and fuel.
But as tensions escalated during the First and Second Intifadas, the tunnels took on a new role. They expanded and became conduits not just for goods, but also for a hidden underground struggle.
In Rafah, a city at the southern tip of Gaza, borders shifted hands four times in just a few decades—from the Ottomans to the British, Egyptians, and Israelis. When Israel and Egypt signed a peace agreement in 1979, Rafah was split in half by a massive wall, separating families and neighbors overnight.
Determined to stay connected, Gazans began digging tunnels beneath the wall to reunite with loved ones on the other side. What started as secret passageways for families soon evolved into vital lifelines for the entire community. With access to Egypt cut off, these tunnels became underground trade routes, bringing in much-needed essentials like food, medicine, and fuel.
But as tensions escalated during the First and Second Intifadas, the tunnels took on a new role. They expanded and became conduits not just for goods, but also for a hidden underground struggle.
