Hamas could seal tunnels if crossing opens

Hamas said it was prepared to shut down smuggling tunnels that extend from the strip into Sinai when Egypt decides to open the Rafah crossing permanently, Hamas official Salah Al Bardawil said Sunday. Palestinian news agency Ma’an reported today that Al-Bardawili said that they couldn’t close the tunnels at the moment because it was a popular and “compulsory way” to lift the occupation’s blockade on Gaza. The Hamas official said Gaza has not received any direct accusations from Egypt concerning the Sinai attack, and repeated his party’s denial that there was any Palestinian involvement. He said that Hamas was fully prepared to cooperate with authorities in Egypt to find the perpetrators behind the attack on Rafah crossing, the attack killed 16 Egyptian soldiers. After gunmen killed 16 Egyptian border guards on Sunday, Egypt closed its border with the Gaza Strip and sealed smuggling tunnels that provide a lifeline to the besieged territory.