Egypt is considering establishing a one-km-deep buffer zone along the eastern border with Gaza in a move to heighten security, media reported Thursday.
The buffer zone will be free of homes and farms so that the security personnel can have a clear vision of the border, Xinhua reported citing a report by state-run news agency MENA quoting an official source.
The source said the buffer zone will be free of homes and farms so that the security personnel can have a clear vision of the border. Gaza has a similar buffer zone with a depth of 2.5 km.
The buffer zone will help crack down on the tunnels beneath the border and prevent violations of the Egyptian border and national security, the source added.
In the past two days, Egyptian authorities have found 38 tunnels inside 28 houses near the Rafah crossing, 400 other tunnels were discovered on dense olive farms.
These tunnels have been used for smuggling, illegal immigration and infiltration.