Gaza smuggling resumes after IDF withdrawal
Hours after IDF completes withdrawal from Gaza, AP footage shows Palestinians in Rafah filling fuel truck with petrol that came through cross-border tunnel from Egypt; workers filmed clearing blocked tunnels
Some smuggling tunnels under the Gaza Strip's border with Egypt have begun to operate again despite heavy Israeli bombing during a three-week offensive, local residents said on Wednesday.
Israel has threatened to respond militarily should Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, try to rearm through the tunnel network that was also used by ordinary Palestinians to bring in commercial goods and get around an Israeli blockade.
Residents of the border town of Rafah said Israeli deep penetration bombs had put most of the tunnels out of commission but some were undamaged and operating again.
The identity of some residents who witnessed the smuggling activity could not be revealed for fear of reprisals from militants and smugglers.
"I saw them bring up fuel from one of the tunnels which is still working," said a Rafah resident who witnessed the activity.
Another resident said that on Sunday a shipment of kerosene stoves was smuggled in through the tunnels and a third said that on Wednesday some fuel was transferred from Egypt. None of the residents mentioned weapons smuggling.
Clearing tunnel in Rafah (Photo: AFP)
Tunnelers and smugglers were suspicious of visiting reporters and warned them not to take pictures. But big generators were running and men were clearly at work behind tents of canvas and plastic sheeting.
AP Television News footage showed Palestinian smugglers filling a fuel truck with petrol that came through a cross-border tunnel from Egypt. The footage also showed workers busy clearing blocked tunnels and bulldozers carrying out other repairs.
Iran has rejected the international attempt to deny Hamas weapons. In statements reported Wednesday on the website of Iranian state TV, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said because Israel is so well-armed, Palestinians shouldn't be barred from obtaining weapons.
Iran is one of Hamas' main backers but denies Israel's claims that it arms the Palestinian group.
"All of the money that I had invested here went down the drain (because of the bombings)," said smuggler Abu Moussa, "but with Allah's help the tunnel will be operational again in about a month."
Israeli Foreign Minister Livni is expected to address 27 European foreign ministers in Brussels Wednesday night, in an attempt to enlist their support against the arms smuggling into Gaza. An agreement to that effect was struck with EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana earlier in the week.
The European Union ministers are expected to pledge their cooperation. Israel and the US have signed a memorandum to that effect as well.
