Egypt building wall along Gaza border

GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories — Egypt has begun building a concrete wall along its border with Gaza, said AFP journalists and a Palestinian security official from Islamist movement Hamas, which controls the enclave, on Wednesday.

Dozens of workers aided by cranes could be seen erecting the structure, which will stretch from Gaza's southeastern tip to the Rafah crossing with Egypt, the only gateway out of Gaza that does not lead into Israel.

The wall is being built along the lines of an old, lower barrier that includes an underground structure designed to curb smuggling tunnels between Gaza and Egypt.

Contacted by AFP, Egypt's military declined to comment on the new structure.

A Hamas security source told AFP that the goal was "to complete [the wall] as quickly as possible".

"The important thing for us is to control the border and prevent any illegal activity there", including any cross-border trafficking, the source said.

A security delegation from Egypt led by General Ahmed Abdel Khalek, who heads Palestinian affairs at Egypt's intelligence agency, was in Gaza last week seeking to restore calm between Hamas and Israel.