CAIRO: Security forces completely surrounded a neighborhood in the border town of Rafah Wednesday as central security forces also amassed at the border crossing with the Gaza strip. One hundred cars from different security bodies surrounded a neighborhood called Canada in Rafah, prohibiting residents from leaving or entering. Many shops in the area closed down for the day as a result. Additionally, 500 central security soldiers were stationed at the Rafah border crossing in a line behind the regular border guards. Although a security source claimed the neighborhood cordon was put in place to search for some residents who have prison sentences to fulfill, journalist and Tagammu party member in the area Mustapha Singer believed authorities were searching for someone affiliated with Hamas. Singer pointed out that the heightened security presence on the border supported the possibility that the cordon of Canada had something to do with Hamas, who rule the neighboring Gaza strip. The Rafah crossing point was open on Wednesday to allow Palestinian pilgrims who had traveled to Saudi Arabia to perform the umrah to return to Gaza. Additionally, Palestinians who had entered Egypt last month for medical treatment also returned.
