Gazans suffer as Egypt continues to destroy tunnels‎

The tunnels under the borderline between Gaza and Egypt have been the main lifeline for Gaza since 2007 when Israel imposed an economic blockade on the strip. Since then, Gazans have brought in most of their basic goods like construction materials, food, and fuel through the tunnels, despite their risky conditions. However, Since the Egyptian president, Mohammed Morsi, was ousted by the military on July 3rd, Gazans life have got more complicated as the army has destroyed more than 90% of the tunnels connecting Egypt and Gaza and has even launched a security crackdown in Sinai peninsula. Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas representative, says they have tried to negotiate an alternative for the tunnels with their Egyptian counterparts, but to no avail. As Egyptian security forces destroy most of the tunnels, the scene of long queues of vehicles outside gas stations has become common and many Gazans complain they have been without cooking gas for weeks. Gazans used those tunnels to get their daily needs under a severe Israeli blockade. Now, Gaza’s main sources of commerce have been shut down as Egypt tightens security measures along the border.