Gaza Crossing Reopens Following Destruction of Attack Tunnel

Jerusalem, 16 January, 2018 (TPS) -- The Kerem Shalom crossing, on the southernmost tip of the Gaza Strip, was reopened Tuesday morning, after being closed on Saturday to allow the demolition of an attack tunnel discovered underneath the crossing.

Roughly 1,000 trucks with goods destined for Gaza pass through Kerem Shalom every day. The crossing is the major transit route into the Strip.

On Saturday night, Israeli jets struck a tunnel dug by Hamas, which connected Gaza and Egypt and passed underneath the Kerem Shalom crossing. This is the third smuggling tunnel discovered and demolished by Israel in recent months.

“This is a severe breach of Israel’s sovereignty,” an IDF Spokesperson wrote in a statement issued after the destruction, adding that, “Hamas is responsible for the consequences and chooses time after time to jeopardize the welfare of the citizens of Gaza.”