EL-ARISH, Egypt, June 5 (UPI) -- A delegation of Jordanian politicians recently entered the Gaza Strip via a smuggling tunnel to keep their visit secret, Egyptian officials said.
Egyptian security officials told the Ma'an news agency Wednesday the delegation, all members of Jordan's Islamist Freedom and Justice Party affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, spent two days in Gaza meeting with Hamas officials.
The officials said the delegation could have entered Gaza via the Rafah border crossing but opted to use a smuggling tunnel owned by a Hamas official to keep their visit secret from the Jordanian government.
Jordan's Islamist Freedom and Justice Party formed its own political party -- the Islamic Action Front in Jordan. While the party opposes all ties with Israel, it backs the Jordanian royal family and government.
The tunnels built by Palestinians are used to smuggle building supplies and other goods, as well as weapons and terrorists.
