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Egyptian army confiscates fuel destined for Gaza

February 5, 2014 at 2:10 am

The Egyptian army has confiscated fuel which was supposed to go to the Gaza Strip. A local activist said that the fuel was being stored in a field ready to be pumped into Gaza when it was seized.


Khalil Musa said that the soldiers entered the field near Abu Halawa in Rafah, confiscated the fuel and destroyed the storage tank. They also destroyed olive and citrus trees in the field in what appears to have been a punishment for the owner of the property, who is still being sought by the security forces; his family has been advised that he should turn himself in to face charges of smuggling fuel across the border.

The Gaza Strip has depended on fuel coming from Egypt to help counter the Israeli-imposed siege which is now in its 7th year. Since the military coup against President Mohamed Morsi four months ago the Egyptian army has carried out a serious campaign against the smuggling tunnels under the border which have been described as Gaza’s “lifeline”. Most of the tunnels have now been destroyed by the army as the coup government has tightened the siege.