Palestinian smugglers succeeded in piping cooking gas into Gaza via pipelines laid beneath the border with Egypt in southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian sources said on Thursday.
Palestinian technicians helped owners of the smuggling tunnels in their move after the inexperienced smugglers failed to extend a consistent line for receiving gas under the borders, according to the sources.
Prior to this, the contraband workers used to bring the gas canned in 12-kg tanks for household use. The expensive operation has made the gas tanks' price exceed 100 U.S. dollars.
Small amount of gas flowed through the new copper lines that were stretched in an ad hoc tunnel. The number of smuggling tunnels under the border town of Rafah is estimated at 400.
The gas smugglers, sponsored by Hamas which controls Gaza Strip, plan to increase the amount of shipments to Gaza after the trial pipes succeeded.
Israel, who used to be the sole supplier of fuel and cooking gas to Gaza, has been imposing severe restrictions on the deliveries after a six-month ceasefire was rocked by a wave of violence since early November.
Source: Xinhua
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