Egypt–Gaza barrier
This article needs to be updated.(July 2014) |
The Egypt–Gaza barrier is a steel
In December 2009, with help from the United States, Egypt started building a steel wall along the Gaza border. If it is finished, the wall will be 10–11 km (6–7 miles) long and extend 18 m (60 feet) below the surface. The wall was to be completed in 18 months.[1]
On 29 October 2014, Egypt began demolishing homes on its side of the border with the Gaza Strip as part of a planned 500-metre (550-yard) buffer zone intended to prevent weapons smuggling into the Gaza Strip.[2]
In February 2020, Egypt began building a new 3-kilometre (2-mile) concrete wall along its border with the Gaza Strip, from Gaza's southeastern tip at
Technical aspects
The project has received technical cooperation from the United States and France.[5]
Egypt reinforced the border with several hundred troops to protect construction crews from Palestinian sniper attacks.[5]
Palestinian sources said that construction of the barrier was damaging dozens of smuggling tunnels as deep as 30 m (100 feet), causing them to collapse on a nearly daily basis and killing operators, especially tunnels near the Rafah border terminal. They added that most of the 1,500 tunnels between Gaza and Egypt remained unaffected. The sources also stated that the project has alarmed the Hamas regime in the Gaza Strip, which charges an annual $2,500 for the right to operate a tunnel.[5]
Smuggling tunnels
In January 2008, Palestinian militants
According to analysts at a January 2010 Egyptian security conference, the barrier reflects Egypt's concern that
After the fall of the Mubarak regime in 2011, Egypt relaxed restrictions at its border with the Gaza Strip, allowing more Palestinians to cross freely for the first time in four years.
By September 2021, Egypt had destroyed more than 3,000 smuggling tunnels over six years by flooding them or by pumping in toxic gas, at times resulting in deaths.[11][12][13]
Support
In 2010,
Opposition
Militant
Hassan Nasrallah, chief of Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, called on Egypt to halt construction.[17]
The
A number of prominent Muslim clerics issued edicts against the wall, while Sheikh
In a 2010 Palestinian demonstration along the border, an Egyptian border guard was shot dead and 20 Palestinians were injured from Egyptian fire.[19]
See also
- Philadelphi Route
- Israel–Egypt barrier
- Israel–Gaza barrier
- Israeli West Bank barrier
References
- ^ Fraser, Christian. Egypt starts building steel wall on Gaza Strip border. Christian Fraser, BBC, 9 December 2009.
- ^ "Egypt demolishes Sinai homes for Gaza border buffer". BBC News. 29 October 2014.
- ^ Egypt begins building concrete wall along Gaza border
- ^ Egypt building steel wall along border with Gaza Strip
- ^ a b c Construction of Egypt's security wall causes collapse of smuggling tunnels, World Tribune 13-01-2010
- ^ "Egypt 'won't force Gazans back'". BBC News. 23 January 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
- ^ Egypt at risk of militant flow from Gaza -analysts, Reuters 28-01-2010
- ^ Gaza smugglers breach Egyptian barrier, Ynet, 22 July 2010.
- ^ Egypt eases blockade at Gaza's Rafah border. BBC News, 28 May 2011.
- ^ "Egypt resumes demolition of Gaza tunnels". Ma'an News Agency. Archived from the original on April 30, 2013. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
- ^ Egypt pumps toxic gas into Gaza tunnel, three Palestinians dead - report
- ^ Egypt floods Gaza tunnels to cut Palestinian lifeline. Reuters, 13 February 2013
- ^ Hamas: Egypt destroying Gaza smuggling tunnels by flooding them. Jack Khoury, Haaretz-premium, 11 February 2013
- ^ Milne, Seumas (31 January 2010). "Mahmoud Abbas: Israel's West Bank occupation leading to one-state solution". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
- ^ "US supports Egyptian underground barrier on Gaza border". Ynet, January 12, 2010.
- ^ a b c Nahmias, Roee. Arab protests against Egypt's Gaza border wall spread, Ynet, January 4, 2010
- ^ Hezbollah chief asks Egypt to stop Gaza border wall, Ynet, December 27, 2009
- ^ IAF slams Egypt's building of steel wall along borders with Gaza, 10-01-2010
- ^ Egyptian border guard shot dead at Gaza frontier, Ynet, January 6, 2010