Israel Builds Security Fence Around Gaza Border Communities

Israel's Defense Ministry announced Tuesday that it had completed construction of a "smart" security fence around 12 Israeli communities located near the border with the blockaded Gaza Strip.



The fence comes as part of a plan to bolster security for Israeli communities near the strip following last year's devastating military onslaught on the coastal territory during which Palestinian resistance groups had retaliated by attacking border communities.



According to the ministry, fences have been built around the Israeli communities of Nir Yitzhak, Sufa, Nirim, Nir-Oz, Ein HaShlosha, Kissufim, Kibbutz Alumim, Sa'ad, Kfar Aza, Miflasim, Nir-Am Karmiya and Yad Mordechai.



Israel's channel 7 reported that the cost of the project -- which involves dozens of kilometers of "smart" fencing -- has been estimated at some 30 million Israeli shekels (roughly $7.7 million).



The Defense Ministry first announced plans to build the fence in September 2014 -- one month after its 51-day military onslaught on Gaza.



Following the Gaza conflict, Israel also announced plans to build an "anti-tunnel system" for spotting underground activity with a view to preventing resistance attacks on Israeli border communities. 



During last year's conflict, the Ezzeddin al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Palestinian resistance group Hamas (which has governed the Gaza Strip since 2007), used underground tunnels to attack Israeli military bases and communities near the border.



According to the Israeli army, the Qassam Brigades used tunnels on four separate occasions to infiltrate Israeli territory, where its fighters succeeded in killing 12 Israeli soldiers.



The Israeli army says it destroyed a total of 32 tunnels during the conflict. Palestinian resistance factions, however, say they have since dug new tunnels for use in future conflicts.



In July and August of last year, Israel launched a weeks-long military offensive against the Gaza Strip with the stated aim of staunching rocket fire from the blockaded coastal enclave.



Over 2,160 Palestinians, mostly civilians, were killed -- and some 11,000 injured -- in the offensive, which finally ended with a cease-fire deal signed in August.



At least 73 Israelis -- 68 soldiers and five civilians -- were also killed during the conflict. - Filistin