An Egyptian member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad dies in an attack on an Israeli army post

The borders are more porous than suspected, and many young Egyptians join up with Palestinian terror groups.

Hundreds of demonstrators carried the coffin of a slain Islamic Jihad militant in Gaza on 12 November. The funeral procession was led by masked members of the Saraya Al Quds (Jerusalem Battalions), the Islamic Jihad’s armed wing, firing their automatic rifles in the air. This time, however, the shaheed (martyr) was not Palestinian.

Sayyed Aboud Hassanein, a 21-year-old from the governorate of Qalubiya, was Egyptian.

Since the beginning of the intifada, dozens of Egyptians from virtually all age groups and both sexes have been trying to cross the border to join the Palestinian uprising. The common perception was that Egyptian and Israeli border troops have been largely successful in arresting the infiltrators. Many tunnels used for gunrunning were also discovered and demolished. But it seems there is an unknown number of Egyptians who not only managed to cross the borders, but are also taking part in combat operations against Israeli occupation troops.
[more]