EGYPTIAN ARMY: A TOTAL OF 1,659 BORDER TUNNELS WERE RAZED IN GAZA

Cairo, 15 Shawwal 1435/11 August 2014 (MINA) – The Egyptian army have destroyed 20 new border tunnels, rising the overall  number of destroyed tunnels along the Egyptian-Gazan borders to 1,659, Egyptian military sources said.

According to a statement released by the Egyptian army spokesman Mohamed Samir, three Palestinians were arrested while trying to infiltrate into the Egyptian territories, Palestinian Information Center (PIC) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting, Monday.

An American Intelligence website earlier revealed that the mutual efforts between Egypt and the US to destroy Gaza tunnels in Rafah resumed after the 2013 military coup that overthrew president Mohamed Morsi and brought general Fattah el-Sisi to power.

The sources said the US army had given a contract of 10 million dollars to Raytheon Technologies Company on August 28th 2013 to help detect underground tunnels between Sinai and the Gaza Strip, which are used by Hamas for smuggling weapons and goods, according to the online Intelligence report.

Since 2008, the US has supplied the Egyptian army with tunnel detection equipment worth 23 million dollars, including sensors, remote control cars, drilling machines and infrared cameras.

Underground tunnels are considered the economic lifeline for the 1.7 million people living under siege in the Gaza Strip for eight consecutive years. The tunnels were used along the past years for the transfer of variety of goods and basic human needs, including construction materials, food, medicines, clothes, fuel, computers and cattle. (T/P02/E01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)