Five people have died following the collapse of a tunnel used to smuggle goods beneath the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.

Eighteen others have also been injured following the collapse of the structure near the Gaza border town of Rafah.

A wide network of secret tunnels is believed to run under the border, allowing supplies to be brought into Gaza, which is virtually cut off from the rest of the world.

The tunnels are believed to be used by Palestinian militants to smuggle weapons and cash into the territory.