Destroying a Lifeline
Egyptian forces destroyed 10 tunnels used to smuggle goods to the besieged Gaza Strip after a tip-off from a runner arrested last week, a security official said on Monday (September 14). The tunnels were found north of the Egyptian border town of Rafah late on Sunday after Mohammed al-Shaer gave details of their location, the official told AFP, adding that the tunnels were immediately destroyed. Shaer was arrested last week at the Rafah border crossing as he tried to enter Gaza on false documents. The Gaza Strip, under a tight Israeli-Egyptian blockade relies on international aid and products smuggled through a network of tunnels linking it to Egypt. The tunnels are also used to send in weapons. Egypt, under pressure from Israel and the United States, has taken many measures to crack down on the smuggling. It has also kept its border largely closed with Gaza, causing further suffering to the besieged population. (References for text: AFP, PC. Photo: Getty/file)
