Egypt reopens Rafah crossing with Gaza
After closing off the border indefinitely in mid-August amid widespread violence, Egypt reopens Gazans’ main entry-exit point
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Egypt on Saturday reopened its border crossing with the Gaza Strip, Rafah, enabling stranded passengers to once again come in and out of the coastal enclave controlled by Hamas.
Reuters reported that the opening of the crossing is to enable students, dual nationals, and those who are ill to enter and exit Gaza.
The head of Egypt’s side of the terminal, Sami Mitwalli, said the terminal would be open from 10 am until 2 pm.
The opening of the crossing in both directions came after no one was allowed to enter or leave the Strip for five days.
Meanwhile Saturday, an Egyptian officlal said troops killed four militants who attacked a military checkpoint in Sinai near the border with Gaza. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media. He gave no details.
After the July 3 ouster of Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi, Egyptian security forces clamped down on the Islamist terror groups operating from the Sinai Peninsula and also drastically decreased the number of people who could cross through its border to Gaza. After the fighting between pro-Morsi loyalists and security forces began in mid-August, Egypt closed the border indefinitely.
They also closed the Rafah crossing indefinitely, and reopened it only occasionally.
AP contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.