Egypt-Gaza Smuggling Tunnels To Be Closed

CAIRO -- Egypt's military has began an operation to close a network of smuggling tunnels under the Egypt-Gaza border following tension with Israel, security officials said Saturday.

Hundreds of tunnels snake under the 9-mile (14-kilometer) border, where smugglers bring Gaza supplies and fuel limited by an Israeli blockade. Israel charges Gaza's Hamas rulers get weapons, ammunition and rockets through the tunnels and smuggle militants out.

Officials said that this week, three mechanized sensors were activated to identify tunnel locations and mark them for destruction. Earlier efforts were confined to trying to close tunnel openings, as well as one failed effort to drive a steel wall deep into the sand.

The officials were speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters.

Israel and Egypt are increasingly concerned about the tunnel threat following an attack last month near Israel's southern city of Eilat, near the Egyptian border and a rising presence of Islamic militants in Egypt's Sinai desert alongside Israel.

Israel says Gaza militants entered Sinai through the tunnels and crossed back into Israel, attacking vehicles and killing eight Israelis.

Israel-Egypt relations took a hit when five Egyptian police were killed during a firefight between Israeli forces and fleeing militants. Egypt was outraged, and Israel apologized.

Previous attempts to close the tunnels before have failed to curb illicit trade and people trafficking under the border, following the blockade imposed on the seaside territory in 2007, when Hamas seized control.

The officials said the operation, which began Wednesday, is closely coordinated by the military leadership. So far, three main arteries have been detected, and one was destroyed, they said.

The officials said the tunnels will not be blown up. Instead, they will be filled with cement and water.

Comments

[ramblingjohnny]

12:22 AM on 09/06/2011

Am sorry but all I can think of when am looking at that picture is a line from Silence Of The Lamb. "It put the lotion in the basket or it get the hose again!" lolll

[spindok]

12:05 PM on 09/05/2011

Egypt has plenty of reason to block these tunnels.

There are terror groups operating in Sinai and Gaza and weapons and terrorists going back and forth through the tunnels. Some of these are AQ linked. Several months ago they attacked an Egyptian police station with RPGs. They have blown up the gas pipeline three times this summer.

These groups have also attacked Egyptian targets in the Sinai at Sharm el Sheikh which resulted in 88 deaths and at Dahab killing 23 people. The latest attack on Israel went from Gaza through Egyptian sinai and 3 Egyptian soldiers were accidentaly shot by IDF as a result. The attackers wore uniforms similar to Egyptian Army.

All of this causes great harm to the Egyptian economy which needs the money from tourism and gas.

Reports are now that many weapons from Libya are making their way into Sinai and Gaza.

Some people get so fixated on Israel that they lose sight of the big picture. It is not in the Interest of Egypt to have terror groups operating in its territory or on its border.

[Naor]

11:57 AM on 09/05/2011

I wonder if Turkey will take Egypt to court for their "crimes" of aiding the siege. Oh wait Egypt isn't Jewish...

[StevieTheK]

11:41 AM on 09/05/2011

yes, they're being closed... for renovations.

[SamSeven]

10:16 AM on 09/05/2011

It seems the Egyptian revolution is not over yet since the military is caving into israel demands. I hope the tunnels keep on popping up. The blockade is wrong and Egypt is adding and abetting the illegal blockade.

[ChicagoKev]

05:10 PM on 09/05/2011

Why do you think the blockade is wrong?

[GilGamish]

09:48 AM on 09/05/2011

boy with Mubarak gone those Israeli's are certainly in for it.

[SamSeven]

10:40 AM on 09/05/2011

Considering Israel is add odds with Turkey and cant appologize for anything. Mumbarak is gone to the south. It doesnt look good at the moment for little ole Israel.

[GuiltyByStander]

11:10 AM on 09/05/2011

HA .... unfortunately, Turkey is taking Israel to court only on the question of the naval blockade. The siege of Gaza (of which the naval action is a part) is not yet a legal issue -- but it will be. And yes, Egypt is still helping out because the military interim government is still in charge and they're still on the US dole -- with and for Israel.

The larger question of cutting off one part of Palestine from another -- blocking passage between Gaza and the West Bank-- will get to court too.

It's all come tumblin' down.

[NewYorkLiberal]

09:47 AM on 09/05/2011

Wait, Egypt is blockading Gaza? I thought this was all about Israel. Maybe Turkey is planing on taking Egypt to court as well? That would make sense, right?

[StevieTheK]

11:43 AM on 09/05/2011

Launch the flotillas!

[ChicagoKev]

05:27 PM on 09/05/2011

Egypt has been part of the blockade from the beginning. You might know that and I missed the sarcasm, but I wanted to be sure.

[NewYorkLiberal]

07:24 PM on 09/05/2011

I was trying for sarcasm. May not have pulled it off.

[lastpost]

06:13 AM on 09/05/2011

"Egypt-Gaza Smuggling Tunnels To Be Closed"
Why not turn them into subterranean settlements?

"Israel and Egypt are increasingly concerned about the tunnel threat"
Since there’s an ever increasing risk of subsidence beneath the regime?

"Egypt was outraged, and Israel apologized."
Seems Israel have since gone cold Turkey in regard to apologies.

"they will be filled with cement and water."
Underpin paradise, and put down the Palestinian's lot?

[skialethia]

04:16 AM on 09/05/2011

God forbid that people should risk their lives digging and dragging in stuff through those tunnels so they can have a shred of normalcy. Nowhere else on earth are people reduced to digging to and risking their lives underground to survive, because the bully next door has locked them in an outdoor prison and put them on rations.

The world is complicit with Israel's crimes. Oh and to the hasbarists here. Don't bother replying with your usual big,bad, Hamas-noun-verb repetitive spiel. I'm sick to death of it! So spare me the bullshet propaganda.

[nk5otr]

07:04 AM on 09/05/2011

All counties have smugglers. It is an ancient practice that enriches the smuggler.

On a daily basis, nearly 6,000 tons of food, fuel, materials and other supplies are transferred into the Gaza Strip.

http://idfspokesperson.com/2011/06/27/how-to-deliver-to-goods-to-gaza/

A first-hand account by Danish reporter Steffen Jensen of the non-existent humanitarian crisis:

When I yesterday morning drove through Gaza City, I was immediately surprised that there are almost as many traffic jams as there always has been. Is there not a shortage of fuel? Apparently not. Gasoline is not even rationed.

I will not say whether, in better times has been a larger product range than there was yesterday. But there was certainly no shortage of vegetables, fruits or any other ordinary, basic foods. Tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, watermelons, potatoes - mountains of these items in the many stalls.

http://blog.camera.org/archives/2010/06/dutch_report_no_food_crisis_in.html

[SamSeven]

10:18 AM on 09/05/2011

It is still a prison despite your depiction with golden bars. There's 40% unemployment in Gaza so who is going to pay for it.

[nomoredead]

11:13 AM on 09/05/2011

http://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2011/08/26/first-they-stole-my-land-then-they-stole-my-children-and-no-one-said-a-word/

[skialethia]

03:53 AM on 09/05/2011

"Previous attempts to close the tunnels before have failed to curb illicit trade and people trafficking under the border, following the blockade imposed on the seaside territory in 2007, when Hamas seized control."

For the hundreth time already! Hamas was democratically elected in a monitored election!!

Quit with the bullshet! We're not children who're incapable of getting to the truth elsewhere!

[Relpo Miraculous]

09:43 AM on 09/05/2011

Or the untruth it seems...

[Naor]

11:54 AM on 09/05/2011

Hamas was elected, but it SEIZED control by brutally murdering and throwing out its political opponents. When was the last time Hamas had a "democratic election"?

[aFtersootdamP]

01:47 AM on 09/05/2011

The terrorists don't need the tunnels anymore. We'll see if Egypt stops them any better than they did they last time.

[theuniversalcollective]

01:03 AM on 09/05/2011

Put all of Hamas into the tunnels and pour concrete into one end until it bubbles up the other side. The Palestinians will sure be a whole lot safer, not to mention the Israelis, and humanity in general for that matter. Put all the terrorists at the bottom of the tunnels, mix, and pour. Done.

[GuiltyByStander]

01:38 AM on 09/05/2011

"and humanity in general" ? Where are you looking for that? Don't bother checking your pockets.

[SpoonieLuv]

10:54 AM on 09/05/2011

If we're going to put all terrorists in these tunnels, I'm not sure that they could accomodate every member of the IDF, as well as Hamas.

[carololine111]

11:40 PM on 09/04/2011

Corruption and religious extremism by the regime is the main cause. Lawlessness is at its peak, since the revolution. Christian copts are targeted by armed gangs. Daily, coptic women and children are abducted, drugged and raped by armed gangs. The victims are sexually exploited & forced to convert to islam. Religion is not by force. Saudi arabia is funding the islamization of coptic christians. Up to 50,000 egyptian pounds are paid to armed gangs for the forced isIamization of coptic girls in egypt. Over 350 Coptic girls and women have been abducted to date.......

In every attack on Copts, criminals are protected by the authorities and never punished by the law. It’s the coptic victims that are arrested and imprisoned by the authorities. This is just injustice!!! Churches and Christian businesses and villages continue to be attacked by salafi extremists. Salafi extremists who exercised sharia law on a christian man, left a hole at the back of his neck and cut off his ear! What Madness! Just recently, an egyptian man was stabbed to death in the streets of cairo by salafi extremists, because he was a christian. When will this ever stop??? Egypt will not get better until law & order is restored, by imprisonment of over 10,000 dangerous criminals and a new democratic government, supported by the U.N.

[nycpaladin]

03:42 PM on 09/05/2011

"Blah, blah, blah" That't the best you can do when your hypocrisy is exposed, isn't it.

[ChicagoKev]

06:02 PM on 09/05/2011

So you support the forced religious conversion of others? Give me your address, I've got something for you.

[AJ Raalte]

11:52 AM on 09/05/2011

Islamophob­ia is a myth. It doesn't exist. Fear of Islam is a very healthy and legitimate feeling, honestly come by because of the worldwide Islamic jihadism, bloodbaths while sceaming "Allahu Aqbar", and oppression of minorities in Muslim majority states.

On the other hand, Judeophobi­a IS a mental illness.

[carololine111]

11:39 PM on 09/04/2011

The borders between israel and egypt must be monitored and protected from terrorists. The whole Middle East is in Flames...and there is so much bloodshed on a daily basis. When will Arab Authorities learn to live in peace and grant democracy, freedom and justice to all of its citizens.

Egypt is at the hands of the military council (old regime) and the country is drowning everyday in corruption, lawlessness and organised terror by the muslim brotherhood and salafi extremists. Just, this year All Saints Church in Alexandria was bombed... ...which left 21 innocent christian cvilians murdered and over 100 injured. Police investigation on this case has been closed and no one has been found GUILTY!!!....The Egyptian People are blaming Egypt's Former Interior Minister - Habib Al Adly. Where is Justice & Equality for Egypt's Native Copts????

Egypts Muslim Brotherhood certainly threaten's democratic reform, justice and equality for the Egyptian People. The Military Council are corrupted by Salafi Extremists. All these on-going media claims of mubarak and ministers of the ex regime being sentenced by the military supreme council are all false. The chaos in egypt is due to the release of dangerous criminals from prisons all over the country, by Mubarak’s regime. Does the world know that there are thousands of criminals on the rampage throughout the county???

[theuniversalcollective]

01:00 AM on 09/05/2011

Amen and Hallelujah. #1

[SpoonieLuv]

10:59 AM on 09/05/2011

The Middle East is rife with religious extremism and we in the United States have an obligation to secularize any country with which we have a relationship. Whether it is the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood or the demands among fundamentalist Israelis that their state be recognized as a Jewish state, none of this religious fervor is in line with American values. Our government must make it plain to any and all Middle Eastern nations that any religious influence in their system of governance will not be tolerated.

[ArthroughpadNY]

11:17 PM on 09/04/2011

Looks like they captured a picture of one of those mole people that live underground. Now for the Egyptians to seal off the tunnels brings up numerous points. Obviously it has been discovered that Hamas was using the tunnels to get into Egyptian territory and attack Israel from the desert. What is it about Hamas that they do not know what a ceasefire is? If more attacks come from the desert and these terrorists are found to come from Gaza, Israel should level Gaza permanently.

[Tony Andrews]

01:07 AM on 09/05/2011

You are endorsing genocide, which, I would have thought, Israel's supporters would not be fond of.

[StevieTheK]

11:46 AM on 09/05/2011

I find myself in rare agreement with you on this point. Extremist hatred, at either extreme of the issue, has no place in a plausible solution.

[NTT]

11:55 AM on 09/05/2011

For once, you are right. As opposed to Israel-haters, Israel supporters as a rule do NOT support genocide and/or ethnic cleansing. Also, as opposed to Arab terrorists (Hamas, Hizb'ullah, etc.), Israel does NOT deliberately target civilian population. Since they are immersed into their own violent mentality, haters usually have difficulties understanding this. Thieves are the most suspicious people -- they can't believe honesty exists.