Hamas appeals to Egypt over closure of smuggling tunnels
GAZA - Egypt@@@s crackdown on smuggling tunnels along its border with the Gaza Strip is making shortages ever tighter and has forced the enclave@@@s Islamist Hamas rulers to consider urgent alternatives.Hamas officials asked Egypt late on Monday to consider alternative trade routes, such as a free trade zone, a direct deal that could boost Hamas tax revenues and circumvent rival Fatah@@@s and Israel@@@s control of official imports to Gaza.Egypt started closing the tunnels after the Aug. 5 attack in Sinai when gunmen killed 16 Egyptian soldiers. Egypt suspects the tunnels were used by some of the militants. Hamas says no-one from Gaza was involved in the attack.ByREUTERS06/08/2025 07:57 AMByREUTERS06/08/2025 05:36 AMByMAARIV06/07/2025 02:33 PMByWALLA!06/07/2025 11:18 AM
