Gaza's Rafah crossing reopens after four-day closure

[News_Editor]

Gaza's Rafah crossing reopens after four-day closure

2011-06-08 22:47:54 GMT+7 (ICT)

GAZA CITY (BNO NEWS) -- The Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip on Wednesday was reopened after a four-day closure and talks between Egyptian and Palestinian officials.

According to the Ma'an news agency, officials from both sides agreed on a set of mechanism for the safe passage of Palestinians through the Rafah crossing which was closed by Egyptian authorities last week.

Egypt and Palestine agreed that the Rafah crossing will be opened between 9 a.m. ad 5 p.m. local time and will allow the passage of 550 people per day. Palestinian authorities requested passage for 700 individuals and Egypt only allowed a maximum of 400 Palestinians each day.

This disagreement led to Palestinian authorities closing the terminal in protest on Sunday. On the other hand, Egypt kept the Rafah crossing opened but the Palestinian side remained closed.

In May, Egyptian authorities announced that the Rafah border crossing will be open permanently. The crossing had been closed since the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip in June 2007 after ousting the Palestinian Authority forces.

The border crossing is the only way in and out of Gaza which does not pass through Israeli soil. In February, Egypt opened the crossing to allow limited passage in both directions. The border access was closed during the January unrest in the North African country.

Egypt's ruling council said that the permanent opening of the crossing is part of the efforts to achieve national reconciliation as remarked in the recent unity deal signed by all Palestinian factions in Cairo.

Last year, Egyptian authorities decided to open the Rafah border crossing to Gaza following the attack on a Pro-Gaza aid flotilla by the Israeli navy to allow humanitarian and medical aid as well as receiving patients in need of urgent medical attention.

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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