Egypt closes Gaza border after rare 3-day opening

Nearly 2,500 people left Gaza during a three-day humanitarian opening of the border with Egypt, a rare opportunity for Gazans to leave the blockaded enclave, authorities in the Palestinian territory say Tuesday.

The Hamas-run interior ministry in Gaza says 2,439 people left the territory over the three days, while 1,122 entered and 334 were turned back by Egyptian authorities.

The border was closed again on Tuesday, a ministry statement says, after “Egyptian authorities informed us of the shutting down of the Rafah crossing.”

Egypt originally opened the border for humanitarian cases for two days from Saturday but that was extended for an extra day on Monday.

Before Saturday, the crossing had been closed for 70 days, the ministry says.

The United Nations has registered 30,000 Palestinians as “humanitarian cases” seeking to leave Gaza.

— AFP

Hamas security forces next to an Egyptian watch tower on the border between Egypt and Gaza, in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, September 21, 2015. (Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90)