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| Egypt Orders Evacuation Along Gaza Border to Thwart Militants | Egypt Orders Evacuation Along Gaza Border to Thwart Militants |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| EL ARISH, Egypt — The Egyptian authorities on Tuesday ordered residents living along the country’s eastern border with the Gaza Strip to evacuate the area so their homes could be demolished and a buffer zone established to stop weapons and militant movements between Egypt and the Palestinian territory, officials said. | EL ARISH, Egypt — The Egyptian authorities on Tuesday ordered residents living along the country’s eastern border with the Gaza Strip to evacuate the area so their homes could be demolished and a buffer zone established to stop weapons and militant movements between Egypt and the Palestinian territory, officials said. |
| The measure came four days after militants attacked an army post, killing at least 31 soldiers in the restive area in the northeastern corner of the Sinai Peninsula. After the attack, Egypt declared a state of emergency and a dawn-to-dusk curfew there. The authorities also indefinitely closed the Gaza crossing into Egypt. | The measure came four days after militants attacked an army post, killing at least 31 soldiers in the restive area in the northeastern corner of the Sinai Peninsula. After the attack, Egypt declared a state of emergency and a dawn-to-dusk curfew there. The authorities also indefinitely closed the Gaza crossing into Egypt. |
| The buffer zone, which would include water-filled trenches to thwart tunnel diggers, would be 500 yards wide and extend along the nine-mile border. | The buffer zone, which would include water-filled trenches to thwart tunnel diggers, would be 500 yards wide and extend along the nine-mile border. |
| Army officers spoke to the affected residents in person and initially gave them a 48-hour ultimatum to leave, but suspended that after the residents protested, officials said. Residents’ groups are now negotiating with local officials about the deadline. | |
| The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters. | The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters. |
| The Egyptian Army has waged a broad offensive in northern Sinai against Islamic militants who have turned several areas into strongholds in the past three years, and the army has destroyed many of the sprawling smuggling tunnels that connected the area with Gaza. | The Egyptian Army has waged a broad offensive in northern Sinai against Islamic militants who have turned several areas into strongholds in the past three years, and the army has destroyed many of the sprawling smuggling tunnels that connected the area with Gaza. |
| The Egyptian news media has accused Hamas officials in Gaza of meddling in Egypt’s affairs. Hamas officials deny any interference. | |