[ddk632]

Interesting read, even though it's an AP article, but this has not ever happened before. Let the speculation begin on what this might be preceding or because of;

I for one am happy to learn that Egypt is doing something about the tunnels, namely building a steel wall which hopefully will be relatively impenetrable.

What are your FRopinions on the matter? Is Hamas afraid to bear the certain retaliation if they were to be linked with the kidnapping terror cell?

Or perhaps they have amassed enough weapons that they don't need to smuggle any more?

Either way I view this as good news, for the time being.

P.S. Forgive me if anything is odd about this post - this is my first thread post on FR, so I apologize in advance for any etiquette I've failed to follow, or if the AP excerpt is too long.

[dawn53]

Wasn’t there some warning yesterday from Israel to their citizens to vacate the Sinai?

[Robe]

Let me be the first to say “Welcome aboard”..
As for the etiquette part.. you may address me as
“Your Majesty, Robe “ (8^)

[SeeSharp]

Is Hamas afraid to bear the certain retaliation if they were to be linked with the kidnapping terror cell?

Was that a joke?

They are probably just consolidating. If there are too many tunnels for Hamas to control then they won't get to collect their squeeze.

[JerseyHighlander]

IN a business sense, the Egyptian underground steel wall is a actual physical barrier to entry into the smuggling market, meaning only Hamas and Gaza oligarchy approved tunneling operations will be able to continue operations, creating a near monopoly on black market goods, greatly enriching the Hamas leadership and further increasing the misery of the Gaza residents.

[Canedawg]

I think Israel let the powers that be know that the tunnels were going to be a target for destruction ASAP unless something was done about them.

It’s just a guess.

[Sax]

Hamas is trying to distance and disavow involvement in whatever is planned to go down.

Rumors of an attempted abduction of an Israeli citizen by Arab terrorists in the Sinai Peninsula were proven false late Tuesday night, but Israeli citizens are continuing to be told to stay out of the Sinai Peninsula due to a “serious and immediate” terror alert. Citing concrete information that a terror cell was on the way to carry out an attack, Israeli government officials issued an urgent warning to the public Tuesday through all media outlets, telling citizens to contact family members traveling in Egypt.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/137000

[SunkenCiv]

Islamic Jihad just accused Hamas of having made a secret treaty with Israel. The real reason for this latest move? It’s impossible to blame Israel for holding Gaza prisoner if supplies can get in. Plus, Hamas wasn’t getting its cut of the proceeds. ;’) Thanks ddk632.