Egypt resumed construction on an underground steel wall on the Gaza border yesterday. Trucks delivered tools and iron bars to the building site as the area was kept under heavy security to oversee Palestinians protesting the barrier. A number of Rafah residents told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the city has witnessed a big number of trucks carrying cargo through side roads. A number of smugglers using the tunnels confirmed this, and noted that the the wall's construction have already damaged the tunnels. This has prompted smugglers to run the larger quantities of merchandises and goods through the tunnels that have not yet been demolished. Security forces discovered three smuggling tunnels on the border with Gaza yesterday. A security source said that two were discovered in the Salah Eddin area, and are located behind el-Haroun mosque. The third tunnel was found near el-Shaer mosque in Rafah. Security forces have cordoned the tunnels until they are closed. Egypt opened the Rafah crossing to travelers for three days starting Sunday. Students, medical patients, and Palestinian passport holders will be allowed to cross the border. Meanwhile, an official at Arab Bridge and Maritime at the port of Nuweiba said that the company will not allow the humanitarian convoy "Artery of Life" to board its ferries without obtaining a clearance from security authorities. He noted that the convoy has been waiting since Friday at the Jordanian port of Aqaba. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
