Hamas Rebuilds Smuggling Tunnels Under Israel; Riots Break Out in Jerusalem [VIDEO]
The most recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza is only two weeks only, but the terrorist group is already rebuilding their network of tunnels. The tunnels extend inside of Israel and into Egypt, and are used to transport everything from weapons and goods.
The Israel Defense Force (IDF) has said that high-grade cement is used in some of the tunnels, the same type that is shipped into Gaza from Israel as humanitarian aid. The IDF also said that the cost of building the tunnels and the materials runs into the millions.
The operation, nicknamed Protective Edge by Israel, focused much of its effort on rooting out and destroying the tunnels during fighting that left more than 1,000 people dead in both Hamas-controlled Gaza and in Israel.
The most recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza is only two weeks only, but the terrorist group is already rebuilding their network of tunnels. The operation, nicknamed Protective Edge by Israel, focused much of its effort on rooting out and destroying the tunnels during fighting that left more than 1,000 people dead in both Hamas-controlled Gaza and in Israel.
A report by Israel’s Arutz Sheva (Channel 7) a right-wing television channel, a senior diplomatic source has said that Hamas is producing rockets and smuggling them from Egypt and is rebuilding many of the tunnels that were destroyed during fighting.
“Hamas did not wait a single moment after the last round of fighting, and began its rearmament in anticipation of another round [of fighting],” said the source, who added that Hamas seems to be trying to provoke Israel into more action.
With or without the tunnels, it would be almost impossible or unrealistic to disarm Hamas, according to Israel’s Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman.
The news of Hamas rebuilding its tunnels comes against the backdrop of renewed violence in East Jerusalem and Ramallah in the West Bank, which is just 20 minutes from Jerusalem.
On Saturday rioting in several East Jerusalem neighborhoods, which are predominantly Arab, broke out after the end of Sabbath, according to the Jerusalem Post. Firecrackers, rocks, firebombs, and molotov cocktails were thrown and one elderly man was wounded in the head. Roadways were also blocked with dumpsters.
Officials said that there have been over 550 arrests of Arabs in the area in the past few weeks and over 360 assaults against Jews in East Jerusalem in July alone. That’s twice the number as in July 2013. The rioting on Saturday night was sparked after a victory parade for Hamas in Ramallah.
News about Hamas rebuilding tunnels after the ceasefire is not new. Just a few days after, WND reported that despite Israel putting a bullseye on Hamas tunnels during Gaza fighting, rebuilding started almost immediately. The Hamas source who spoke with WND did not say what kind of tunnel they are building, but did confirm that Hamas is rebuilding.
