Abu Odai

medicine

would generally include chips, biscuits, sugar, baby food, soda, juice and other non-perishable goods

on his reaction to the destruction of his tunnel and only source of income

$800

car tires

food

$1,000

car parts

$5,000

cement

variable amounts

$200

motorcycles

20 tonnes

$700

10-15 vehicles

Egypt recently announced it would increase the width of its buffer zone with the Gaza Strip to 5km. Construction of the buffer zone began after an October attack that killed more than 30 Egyptian soldiers, and as part of the process, Egypt has been systematically destroying tunnels it says were used to smuggle arms from Gaza to Sinai fighters. These tunnels were also used to bring Egyptian goods into Gaza through Rafah, and without them, Gazans must purchase the same products from Israel at double the price. Hamas spokesperson Taher al-Nono told Al Jazeera:

$1,200

$1,500

"[With a 5km buffer zone], if anyone wants to make new tunnels, it would be extremely expensive and the goods coming through would be at a high price.”

would include car engines and packages of smaller car parts

Nono could not confirm whether any of the smuggling tunnels remained operational.

would generally include painkillers, blood pressure medicine, psychiatric drugs and other medications

5 tonnes

Anatomy of a Gaza smuggling tunnel

1 tonne

Odai's tunnel was 850m long.

Al Jazeera spoke with former tunnel owner Abu Odai, 28, to get an idea of how much was coming into Gaza through these tunnels before they were destroyed.

500-600 tires

On an average day, 20-30 tonnes of goods would move through the tunnel. The owner would receive about $8,000 to move these goods, out of which workers' salaries and other expenses were paid.

30-40 trips were made through the tunnel per day.

Details about Abu Odai’s tunnel

Two shifts with 8-10 workers each; more workers when there were a lot of goods coming through. Workers were stationed at each end of the tunnel, to lower and raise the carts of goods, and in the middle to shift goods from one cart to another.

TUNNEL LENGTH

It cost Abu Odai nearly $100,000 to complete the tunnel.

COST TO BUILD

GOODS MOVED

NUMBER OF WORKERS

TRIPS THROUGH THE TUNNEL

Number of tunnels Hamas estimates were operating before Egypt's recent crackdown

Stats

A typical breakdown of goods

"It was like a tragedy. It was a very big loss… [I will rebuild] if the situation allows and if security in Egypt makes it easier to go back to work."

700-800

(circles: the approximate amount of money the owner would receive to move them)

1,600

(hover over any button)

$3bn

Number of tunnels Cairo says it has destroyed since the removal of former President Mohamed Morsi in 2013

Estimated value of goods moving between Gaza and Sinai annually