CAIRO: Syrian actor Dureid Laham and Egyptian actress Fardous Abdel-Hamid were permitted entry into the Gaza strip via the Rafah crossing Friday to attend a play and visit sites destroyed by the Israeli offensive last December. Hamas had issued a statement Thursday that Laham, who is travelling with his wife, had been denied entry into Gaza via the crossing. "Egyptian security refused to give the delegation permission to enter Gaza under the pretext that the Rafah border crossing is closed for the time being, the statement read. "Egypt opens the crossing point for foreign delegations to cross from Egypt to Gaza, while the crossing is closed. Yet, it did not let Laham cross, it continued. However sources in the area told Daily News Egypt that Laham and Abdel-Hamid were not present at the Rafah crossing on Thursday, but were still in Cairo. They were told they would not cross until they secured the required paperwork and permits, which they eventually did. On Friday, Laham, his wife and Abdel-Hamid travelled from Cairo to Rafah and entered Gaza at 4 pm according to the sources. Laham had been in Cairo since Tuesday. Laham and Abdel-Hamid are due to attend the opening of a Palestinian play entitled "The Women of Gaza and The Patience of Jacob about the suffering of Gazans, specifically its women, under the two-year siege. Laham is one of the Arab world's most celebrated comedians. Abdel-Hamid is a prominent Egyptian actress and is married to television and film director Mohamed Fadel.
