CAIRO: Egypt has begun again destroying smuggling tunnels in the Sinai peninsula that link Egypt with the blockaded Gaza Strip, police reported on Sunday. According to officials, at least one large tunnel running beneath the border was destroyed by police. The tunnel was allegedly used to smuggle cars into Gaza. The destroying of the tunnel occurred after Israel had carried out a number of air strikes near the Egypt-Gaza border as they continue their push to curtail smuggling between the two areas. Israel has accused Egypt of not doing enough to end the tunnels, which the Jewish state says are used to smuggle weapons into the impoverished Gaza Strip. An economic blockade has been in place against the Gaza Strip since Palestinian Islamic group Hamas took over complete control of the small enclave after bloody clashes with rivals Fatah nearly three years ago. The 1.5 million inhabitants argue that the tunnels are the only way to import much needed essential goods such as oil, milk and other food commodities they have been unable to receive due to the Israeli-Egyptian blockade. Earlier this month, sources along the border said that a planned steel wall running beneath the Egyptian border with Gaza is nearing the final stages and is expected to be completed in the near future. BM
