US military hits Caracas as Trump says President Maduro taken into custody    TMG to launch post-AI project and begin Noor city deliveries in 2026    Gold prices in Egypt end 2025's final session lower    From Niche to National Asset: Inside the Egyptian Golf Federation's Institutional Rebirth    Egyptian pound edges lower against dollar in Wednesday's early trade    Oil to end 2025 with sharp losses    Egypt completes 90% of first-phase gas connections for 'Decent Life' initiative    5th-century BC industrial hub, Roman burials discovered in Egypt's West Delta    Saudi Arabia demands UAE withdrawal from Yemen after air strike on 'unauthorised' arms    Egyptian-Italian team uncovers ancient workshops, Roman cemetery in Western Nile Delta    Egypt to cover private healthcare costs under universal insurance scheme, says PM at New Giza University Hospital opening    Qatari Diar pays Egypt $3.5bn initial installment for $29.7bn Alam El Roum investment deal    Egypt to launch 2026-2030 national strategy for 11m people with disabilities    The apprentice's ascent: JD Vance's five-point blueprint for 2028    Health Ministry, Veterinarians' Syndicate discuss training, law amendments, veterinary drugs    Egypt completes restoration of 43 historical agreements, 13 maps for Foreign Ministry archive    Egypt, Viatris sign MoU to expand presidential mental health initiative    Egypt sends medical convoy, supplies to Sudan to support healthcare sector    Egypt's PM reviews rollout of second phase of universal health insurance scheme    Egypt sends 15th urgent aid convoy to Gaza in cooperation with Catholic Relief Services    Al-Sisi: Egypt seeks binding Nile agreement with Ethiopia    Egyptian-built dam in Tanzania is model for Nile cooperation, says Foreign Minister    Al-Sisi affirms support for Sudan's sovereignty and calls for accountability over conflict crimes    Egypt flags red lines, urges Sudan unity, civilian protection    Egypt unveils restored colossal statues of King Amenhotep III at Luxor mortuary temple    Egyptian Golf Federation appoints Stuart Clayton as technical director    4th Egyptian Women Summit kicks off with focus on STEM, AI    UNESCO adds Egyptian Koshari to intangible cultural heritage list    Egypt recovers two ancient artefacts from Belgium    Egypt, Saudi nuclear authorities sign MoU to boost cooperation on nuclear safety    Egypt warns of erratic Ethiopian dam operations after sharp swings in Blue Nile flows    Egypt golf team reclaims Arab standing with silver; Omar Hisham Talaat congratulates team    Sisi expands national support fund to include diplomats who died on duty    Egypt's PM reviews efforts to remove Nile River encroachments    Egypt resolves dispute between top African sports bodies ahead of 2027 African Games    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Egypt reopens Rafah border crossing with Gaza Strip
Rafah crossing in North Sinai reopens after four days of closure, though Sinai continues to witness unrest
Reuters Published in Ahram Online on 24 - 08 - 2013

Egypt reopened its Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip Saturday after four days of closure, allowing stranded passengers to cross in and out of the Palestinian territory controlled by the Islamist Hamas group.
Hamas, an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, has ruled Gaza since 2007 and has an uneasy relationship with Egypt's new leadership following the ouster by the army of elected Islamist president Mohamed Mursi — a Hamas ally — last month.
Thousands of Palestinians, including students and patients seeking medical treatment, have been unable to travel to Egypt since Rafah crossing was shut, while hundreds wanting to return home were stranded outside the Gaza Strip.
Israel cites security concerns and allows only a small number of Gazans through its land crossing with the Strip, mainly for medical treatment, making Rafah the only gateway to the outside world for most of the enclave's 1.7 million people.
Maher Abu Sabha, the Hamas-appointed director of the Palestinian side of the crossing, said Egyptian authorities were opening Rafah for only a few hours a day. He said travellers needing medical care abroad and others with time constraints would get priority.
Hamas officials have complained that Egypt has limited the number of passengers from 1,200 a day to only 300 since 3 July, when the Egyptian military dismissed Morsi following mass protests against his rule.
Egyptian officials have accused Hamas of aiding Muslim Brotherhood members break from prison during the 2011 January uprising and say the slow operation of Rafah crossing is linked to poor security conditions in Sinai, where Egypt is fighting radical Islamist militants.
Last week, militants killed 25 Egyptian soldiers in the desert territory.
Hamas leaders deny they have any armed presence in Egyptian territory.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/79785.aspx

Clic here to read the story from its source.