Egypt reopens Rafah crossing to Gaza Strip

Egypt reopens Rafah crossing to Gaza Strip

2011-02-23 02:49:17 GMT+7 (ICT)

CAIRO, EGYPT (BNO NEWS) -- Egypt on Tuesday reopened the Rafah frontier crossing to allow limited Palestinian passage in both directions with the Gaza Strip, the Daily Al-Ahram newspaper reported.

The border crossing was opened for the first time in a month after Egypt closed it on January 30 due to the unrest that led to the ousting of former President Hosni Mubarak. On Friday, the Rafah frontier was opened to allow stranded Palestinians to return to the Gaza Strip.

According to Hamas official Ghazi Hamad, the border crossing point was opened by Egypt and will allow the transit of up to 300 people each day. Hamas controls the Gaza side of the border.

In addition, Egyptian authorities said that cash-strapped Palestinians will be exempted from crossing fees at the Rafah frontier crossing which has been the only regularly open crossing for the approximately 1.5 million Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip.

Last year, Egyptian authorities decided to open the Rafah border crossing to Gaza following the attack on an Pro-Gaza aid flotilla by the Israeli navy. The reopening was ordered by then Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.

The reopening was aimed at allowing passage of stranded Palestinians and to give humanitarian aid in and out of Gaza Strip. In addition, Palestinians crossed over the African nation to receive medical aid and some to resume studies in Egypt.

The crossing opening was decided in part due to the pressure by Arabs and Palestinians to end the three-year blockade imposed by Israel after Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007.

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