RAMALLAH, Jan 30 (JMCC) - The Rafah border that divides Gaza and Egypt will remained closed for several days until the situation in Egypt improves announced Ghazi Hamad, the Hamas official in charge of the Palestinian side of the border.

Israel warned that the turmoil in Egypt could result in increased smuggling of weapons into the volatile territory.

A Hamas delegation which was due to travel through Egypt to Syria to discuss the fate of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit postponed its trip.

Israel army radio said the military were preparing for an increase in arms smuggling to Gaza.

An Israeli official told the Guardian: There is obviously concern around the whole issue of weapons smuggling. Egypt is our ally in preventing the flow of arms, and on the assumption that Egyptian forces are occupied [with the unrest], Hamas and its allies could be exploiting that situation. That is our immediate concern.

Read the full story at The Guardian...