Egypt has reportedly opened its Rafah border crossing with the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip for the first time in two months, providing temporary relief to the Palestinians seeking to leave the impoverished enclave.
The Sunday development came as Maher Abu Sabha, a Palestinian official in charge of the Gaza side of the border, said the Rafah crossing would only remain open for two days.
Nearly 250 Palestinians as well as ambulances carrying medical patients were allowed to cross into Egypt on Sunday.
The Egyptian border post remains the only gateway to the outside world for the estimated 1.7 million residents of the densely-populated Gaza, widely described as the world’s largest prison.
The Israeli regime has imposed a brutal siege on the Palestinian coastal enclave since 2007, when politicians affiliated with the Hamas resistance movement were elected into office and took over the administration of the impoverished territory.
Egypt, in coordination with the Israeli regime, has kept its Rafah border crossing mostly shut, only offering occasional relief for medical and other emergency cases.
Egypt has enforced a total closure of the crossing since an October 24 attack in the Sinai Peninsula that killed 31 Egyptian soldiers. Sinai borders Gaza.
MFB/HJL/SS
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