The crossing had been shut down in response to security warnings received by Israeli intelligence. The Hamas-led Palestinian Authority (PA) asked the European monitors to exert pressure on Israel to reopen the crossing, a major transfer point between Gaza and Egypt.
An IDF spokesman said Thursday there was also a current "very high alert" regarding a possible terror attack at the Kerem Shalom border crossing into Gaza. There are some 90 warnings of terror attacks at present, according to security sources.
Hamas accused the European monitors of closing the Rafiah crossing in order to stop PA officials from bringing cash into Gaza. Several days ago, senior Hamas official Mahmoud A-Zahar and another PA minister used their VIP status to carry more than $20 million into Gaza through the Rafia crossing without declaring it.
Western funding sources have dried up in the face of Hamas’ continued refusal to officially recognize Israel’s right to exist, renounce terrorism and uphold agreements between Israel and the Fatah faction, headed by PLO chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
According to Reuters news service, the European monitors sent a letter to Abbas last week, protesting the use of the Rafiah crossing to bring in the large quantities of cash, raising fears that it could be shut down.
Smugglers have often used the crossing to supply Gaza terrorists with arms as well, but recently turned to the Mediterranean Sea as a new route, according to an Israel Navy commander. The Rafiah crossing shutdown apparently forced smugglers into the sea by Thursday morning.
Navy personnel detected two Arab swimmers on their way from Egypt to a Gaza shore, laden with arms and weapons, in a no-swim zone. The Israelis opened fire, hitting one, but refrained from shooting at the second due to his proximity to civilians.
The Egyptian Coast Guard called for the smugglers to stop but was ignored. When they faced Israeli gunfire, however, the smugglers abandoned their weapons haul and apparently returned to Palestinian Authority territory.
Col. Yoram Lax, commander of the Israel Naval Base at Ashdod, said the Egyptian Coast Guard cooperated with IDF forces to stop the two would-be smugglers. Israeli security officials have accused the Egyptians in the past of not cooperating with Israel to prevent smugglers from entering the Negev and Gaza from Egypt.
An IDF spokesman said Thursday there was also a current "very high alert" regarding a possible terror attack at the Kerem Shalom border crossing into Gaza. There are some 90 warnings of terror attacks at present, according to security sources.
Hamas accused the European monitors of closing the Rafiah crossing in order to stop PA officials from bringing cash into Gaza. Several days ago, senior Hamas official Mahmoud A-Zahar and another PA minister used their VIP status to carry more than $20 million into Gaza through the Rafia crossing without declaring it.
Western funding sources have dried up in the face of Hamas’ continued refusal to officially recognize Israel’s right to exist, renounce terrorism and uphold agreements between Israel and the Fatah faction, headed by PLO chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
According to Reuters news service, the European monitors sent a letter to Abbas last week, protesting the use of the Rafiah crossing to bring in the large quantities of cash, raising fears that it could be shut down.
Smugglers have often used the crossing to supply Gaza terrorists with arms as well, but recently turned to the Mediterranean Sea as a new route, according to an Israel Navy commander. The Rafiah crossing shutdown apparently forced smugglers into the sea by Thursday morning.
Navy personnel detected two Arab swimmers on their way from Egypt to a Gaza shore, laden with arms and weapons, in a no-swim zone. The Israelis opened fire, hitting one, but refrained from shooting at the second due to his proximity to civilians.
The Egyptian Coast Guard called for the smugglers to stop but was ignored. When they faced Israeli gunfire, however, the smugglers abandoned their weapons haul and apparently returned to Palestinian Authority territory.
Col. Yoram Lax, commander of the Israel Naval Base at Ashdod, said the Egyptian Coast Guard cooperated with IDF forces to stop the two would-be smugglers. Israeli security officials have accused the Egyptians in the past of not cooperating with Israel to prevent smugglers from entering the Negev and Gaza from Egypt.