Egyptian army spokesman Tamer al-Rifai said May 4 that Egypt has destroyed more than 3,000 tunnels leading to the Gaza Strip since 2015, noting that these tunnels have posed a threat to the Egyptian national security, as they were used for the infiltration of terrorists and the smuggling of arms, ammunition, goods, drugs and vehicles.
Speaking to the Egyptian eXtra News TV channel, Rifai confirmed that the Egyptian government decided in 2015 to set up a buffer zone along the border with Gaza.