Egyptian forces on Friday uncovered three underground smuggling tunnels near the borders of the Gaza Strip, Egyptian security sources said, Maan reported
Security officials said border guards confiscated cement and clothes intended to be smuggled into Gaza.
A network of underground tunnels has provided a lifeline to Gaza residents since Israel tightened its blockade of the coastal enclave following the capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006.
Shalit was freed on Tuesday in a prisoner swap deal between Hamas and Israel, and rights groups have urged Israel to reconsider its illegal blockade in light of the captive exchange.
UNRWA spokesman Chris Gunness said Saturday that the deal offered "an ideal opportunity for Israel to conduct a thorough review of the policy of blockading Gaza. It is surely time to think again about policies that have driven the Gaza economy under ground and into tunnels.
"We must all work to create an economic model in Gaza that is based on legality, full employment, prosperity, stability and peace. That is surely what most Israelis and people in Gaza want. A prosperous Gaza, like a prosperous West Bank, is in the interests of all."
Under its siege policy, Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories reviewed whether items were perceived as "luxury" when deciding what to allow into the Gaza Strip, defense ministry documents obtained by the Israeli legal center Gisha through a freedom of information petition show.
Israeli army officers "developed mathematical formulas to determine the quantity and types of food Gaza residents would be allowed to consume. Hummus was permitted, but not when topped with pine nuts or mushrooms," the center reported.
"Paper, clothes and shoes were prohibited, as were tea and coffee during various periods," Gisha notes in a September report on the documents.
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