The Hamas authorities have decided to prevent smugglers from bringing cars into the Gaza Strip through tunnels beneath the southern border with Egypt, an official said Sunday.

The decision also includes to suspend procedures of registering and issuing numbers for the smuggled cars in Gaza, said Adnan Abu Ouda of the deposed Hamas government's transportation ministry.

Egypt has requested that Hamas stop the car smuggling to support Egyptian campaigns to restore order in the lawless Sinai Peninsula.

Abu Ouda hinted that brand new cars with documents proving that they were bought legally from Egypt will still be allowed into Gaza. However, there is no arrangement in this regards between the Hamas and Egyptian authorities, he noted.

Since Hamas officially allowed merchants to import cars through the tunnels in October 2011, more than 400 vehicles have been registered in the ministry, according to Abu Ouda.

Gaza's official car imports were interrupted by Israel's closure imposed when Hamas took over the territory in 2007. In 2010, Israel lifted the ban on car imports through its crossing with Gaza, but some smugglers continued importing cars via tunnels for lower costs.