Egypt considers buffer zone along Gaza to heighten security

Egypt is considering establishing a one-km deep buffer zone along the eastern border with Gaza in a move to heighten security.

The buffer zone would be free of homes and farms so that security personnel can have a clear vision of the border, Xinhua cited state-run MENA as quoting an official as saying on Thursday.

The official noted that Gaza has a similar buffer zone with a depth of 2.5 km, and it would help crack down on the tunnels beneath the border and prevent violations on the Egyptian border.

In the past two days, the Egyptian authorities had found 38 tunnels inside 28 houses near the Rafah crossing, and 400 other tunnels were discovered on the dense olive farms that dot the landscape.