Special to WorldTribune.com

GAZA CITY — The Hamas regime has closed down the massive tunnel
smuggling network amid numerous cave-ins along the Egyptian border.

Officials said the Interior Ministry decided to close the estimated
1,200 tunnels that connect the Gaza Strip to Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
They said scores of tunnels underneath the divided city of Rafah were
destroyed or damaged in wake of flooding from heavy rains in January.

“The tunnels are no longer safe to operate,” an official said.

Officials said Hamas sent teams to search for tunnel workers trapped in a series of cave-ins. They said the efforts led to the Hamas directive on Jan. 14 to close the tunnels for at least several days.

“Several of the tunnels have been damaged because of the flooding,”
Rafah Mayor Subhi Abu Radwan said.

Hamas was said to employ at least 100 tunnels for the
smuggling of arms and fuel. Officials said Qatar was delivering natural gas over the Egyptian border in mid-January with cooperation from Egypt and Israel. On Jan. 13, 10 trucks of diesel fuel crossed in the Gaza Strip.

The heavy rains have also led to the discovery by the Israeli military
of a tunnel that extended from Gaza into the Jewish state. On Jan. 15, the Israel Army reported a tunnel meant to facilitate Hamas infiltration of a military base or civilian community.

“This attempt to carry out terrorist attacks against citizens and
security forces in Israeli territory is viewed in very serious terms by the
army,” an Israeli military spokesman said.

  Gaza Strip, Hamas shuts down smugglers after hundreds of tunnels cratered by heavy rains, Rafah, Sinai Peninsula, Subhi Abu Radwan