Egypt has announced it has no intentions of acceding to Israel demands to seal the border at the border that runs through the middle of the city of Rafiah. Israel said it fears the destruction of the barrier will allow terrorists to freely bring arms and explosives into the Gaza region. The border will remain open "as long as there continues to be a humanitarian crisis in the impoverished coastal territory," an Egyptian government spokesman told CNN.

Although hundreds of thousands of Gaza residents breached the wall to buy goods and supplies in the Egyptian part of the city, the Times of London reported that terrorists have been working for several months to weaken the 40-foot high and 200-yard long barrier without any connection to Israeli closures of other crossings into Gaza.