From Maan News agency

Al-Arish – Ma'an – Egypt's plan to build an underground wall along its border with Gaza, first exposed by the Israeli daily Haaretz, is the second of two initiatives backed by the US military, Ma'an has learned.

In recent months, US army engineers have moved forward on a two-phase, multimillion-dollar project to stop the flow of weapons and money into the besieged coastal strip.

The first stage of the initiative includes the installation of below-ground, state-of-the-art sensors capable of detecting sound or movement nearby. US experts began the process about one year ago, and it is nearing completion.

The sensors are about the size of a human fist, planted below Rafah with cables running inside pipes 15 meters deep along the borderline. Each sensor is linked to an electronic panel and a computer screen, which documents below-ground activity. Whenever movement or sound is detected nearby, the sensors send details about the location and dimensions of its source to a special security system.

Four US military engineers are responsible for monitoring these sensors and analyzing activity to differentiate between new digging or everyday goods smuggling. In all cases, US forces have kept the Israeli side informed about any detected movement, despite that the entire operation is conducted on Egyptian soil.

Israel and Egypt have maintained a debilitating blockade on Gaza since Hamas took over in 2007, preventing all but a trickle of imports and exports, and banning the coastal enclave's 1.5 million residents from traveling. Palestinians have resorted to building a vast network of underground smuggling tunnels, providing Gazans with a variety of banned commercial goods.

American assistance has been instrumental in Egypt's management of the siege. Egyptian security sources say authorities are aware of nearly 1,300 underground tunnels, of which 450 were taken over this year.

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