[Eric in the Ozarks]

Warm up the D-9s...

[SJackson]

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[Old Retired Army Guy]

A lot of anti-personnel mines in those “vast fields” might inhibit some of the traffic.

[gandalftb]

A closer estimate is about 200 tunnels that actually cross the border. Most have multiple entrances on the Gaza side and a single entrance on the Egyptian side. Most of the Gaza entrances are sealed, to be opened, upon the compromise of an entrance that is open. That way goods in shipment can be retrieved and freight continues undisturbed.

The tunnels are owned by Palestinian families, like mini-mafias, where all the members are related somehow. That allows for secrecy. Goods are dropped off to a "family" member, freight charges are collected and the goods are smuggled in. These are old, multi-generation family smuggling businesses.

Hamas collects a tariff on the delivery end, Egyptians on the supply end.

Israel collapsed about 50 of the 200 actual crossings. Most would be operational again by now. Israel will never stop the tunnel traffic with out an ownership/occupation of the Gaza-Egyptian border at least a mile deep all along the border.

Israel can't even stop drug smuggling through the Sinai on its own border.

Until there is a workable peace, arms smuggling will always continue.