Hamas builds buffer zone to secure borders with Egypt

CAIRO – 29 June 2017: Hamas began construction of a buffer zone along the border between Gaza and Egypt, in an attempt to improve relations with Cairo, on Wednesday.

The buffer zone is allegedly aiming at securing Egyptian borders, according to Undersecretary of Interior Ministry and National Security in Gaza Strip Gen. Tawfik Abu Naem.

“Recent measures are the result of the last visit of security delegation to Egypt, who agreed on tightening the security measures on the borders,” Abu Naem said.

The buffer zone will be carried out within 100 meters inside Gaza strip, to be a closed military zone, in order to facilitate the surveillance of borders, preventing smuggling arms and drugs into Egyptian territories. It is equipped with surveillance cameras and watch towers.

“We can’t allow any threat to the security of the southern borders,” Abu Naem added.

Abu Naem accompanied the Hamas delegation which visited Cairo on June 4, 2017, headed by the chief of the movement in Gaza, Yehia al-Senwar.

According to press statements from Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem, talks with Egypt tackled the Israeli siege to Gaza, but he didn’t refer to discussing any security measures to be imposed by Hamas.

Hamas and Egypt have had a long, unstable relationship, with the latter designating the Gaza-based movement as a terrorist organization in 2013. One of the charges against ousted Muslim Brothehood Ex-President Mohamed Morsi is spying on the state for Hamas.

Following Senwar’s visit, Egypt sold 500 tons of gas, costing $ 5million, to the besieged strip, which suffers from disastrous electricity shortage.