Egypt temporarily reopens Rafah crossing with Gaza for three days

Egypt on Tuesday reopened Rafah border crossing point on the borders with the Gaza Strip for three days to enable patients and students to travel abroad, Gaza security officials said....
Gaza's ministry of interior said in an emailed press statement that Egypt opened the gate of Rafah crossing on Tuesday morning for three days to enable stranded Gazans on both sides of the crossing to travel.

On December. 21, Egypt temporarily reopened Rafah crossing for two days. It was the first time since closing it in the wake of the deadly terrorist attack in Sinai in which 30 Egyptian soldiers were killed.

"Those who will travel from Gaza to Egypt through Rafah crossing are patients who need urgent medical therapy, students and Palestinians who hold dual nationalities," said the statement.

Egypt repeatedly closed Rafah crossing following a series of deadly attacks carried out by radical Islamists in Sinai. After these attacks, the Egyptian army carried out the largest ever security campaign in Sinai.

The Gaza Strip, which is still in Hamas grip since June 2007, has been under an Israeli blockade since then. However, internal feuds between Hamas and President Mahmoud Abbas made Egypt reluctant to permanently keep the crossing open.

The enclave's 1.8 million people have been suffering from restrictions on a free access of travel and movement, according to Gaza-based right groups.
  Source: Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
20/1/15
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• Egypt-Gaza border closed after deadly Sinai attack ...

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