A US delegation toured yesterday Rafah land port and the borders between Egypt and the Gaza Strip to see measures taken by Egypt to secure the border and close the tunnels. This is the second visit in less than a week. Rafah port authorities have denied three parliamentary delegations from Egypt, Morocco and Algeria access to Gaza.
MP Saad Abboud said the Egyptian delegation came to support the Palestinian people, who stood in front of the Zionist war machine and gave a lesson for the people to defend their land and honor. Denying the MPs access is unacceptable affront and a blatant violation of the law.
The Moroccan and Algerian delegations that have been denied access said they came to support the Palestinian people and would wait till they would be allowed to enter. Forty French engineers have returned to Rafah crossing after they completed the installation of medical equipment in the Gaza Strip's hospitals.
In addition, another 40 Jordanian engineers have arrived in the Gaza Strip to begin the reconstruction of the Hamas-ruled enclave. Fifteen Palestinian injured have returned to the Gaza Strip after receiving medical treatment in Egypt.
In a related development, Palestinian medical sources said five Palestinians at least were injured yesterday after a huge fire broke out inside a tunnel on the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. Two of the injured are at serious conditions.
In a related context, 10 opposition MPs staged an open sit-in yesterday before Rafah crossing after being denied access to the Gaza Strip to express their solidarity with the Palestinians.
