IDF special forces are carrying out extensive intelligence operations in Sinai, Libya, and Sudan amid fears that Hamas leaders will try to flee Gaza together with Israeli hostages, the Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Israeli security officials fear that there are tunnels from Gaza to Egypt that Hamas leaders can use to smuggle hostages to other countries and from there to Iran and Lebanon. There are also concerns of arms smuggling attempts from Egypt into the Gaza Strip.

The US is making efforts to urge Egypt to aid Israel in thwarting smuggling attempts from and to Gaza. The IDF is monitoring the Philadelphi Corridor but Egypt has denied Israel’s request for the IDF to operate on the Egyptian side of the Gazan border to check for tunnels.

In 2015, Egypt used seawater to flood tunnels used by Hamas smugglers under the Rafah border crossing with Gaza.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)