Egyptian authorities opened the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip Friday to allow an EU delegation comprising of 52 members to enter the Hamas-ruled territory, the official Middle East News Agency (MENA) said. The team members, who represent 12 European countries, will visit Gaza for one day to inspect the sites that were damaged by Israeli military operations last year, it said. The authorities confirmed that the crossing was open to allow the team to enter Gaza. After the visit,the team members are expected to call on the international community to pressure Israel into lifting its crippling blockade of the Gaza Strip and to freeze its policy of building settlements in the West Bank. The economic and humanitarian situation in Gaza is particularly bad, with the blockade directly affecting the entire economy and living conditions, explained one member of the delegation. Israel has kept Gaza under effective lockdown following the territory's takeover by the Hamas movement two years ago.
