CAIRO/ Al-ARISH: Egypt responded to Hamas warnings of further border breaches by vehemently opposing any reoccurences and placing troops on the border on high alert.
“Egypt will not take lightly the protection of its frontiers against any attempt to violate them, no matter who they are, the official MENA news agency quoted an Egyptian official as saying.
“Egypt’s borders are a red line you cannot cross, the official added. “Egypt is capable of responding to any attempt to violate its frontiersAnother Egyptian security official says troops in Rafah on the border with Gaza are on high alert following intelligence that Hamas militants may attempt to breach the border with bulldozers.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject, added Wednesday that Hamas may have put mines on the main Rafah gate to breach it as well.
On Tuesday, a Hamas politician renewed threats to forcibly reopen the border, as they happened in late January, if the blockade of Gaza did not end.
“All options are open to break the siege by Israel, Khalil Al-Hayya, a senior Hamas leader told a Gaza City news conference when asked if the border could be breached again.
“I expect that what will happen next will be greater than what happened before, not only against the Egyptian border, but against all the crossings, he added.
Israel has sealed off Gaza from all but vital goods since Hamas seized power last June, in a bid to halt rocket attacks from the territory and to put pressure on the Islamist-run government.
“We call parties to move urgently and immediately to end the siege and warn of an unprecedented explosion if it continues, Hayya said.
On Jan. 23 Palestinian militants demolished the border fence between Gaza and Egypt, sending hundreds of thousands of Gazans streaming into Egypt to stock up on supplies.
Egyptian and Hamas forces sealed the frontier breach on Feb. 4. -AFP with additional reporting by Daily News Egypt.
