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Egypt opens Rafah crossing for third day

Other News Materials 20 March 2009 18:13 (UTC +04:00)

The Egyptian authorities continued to open the Rafah land crossing at the border with the Palestinian territory of Gaza Strip for a third consecutive day on Friday, the state MENA news agency reported.

More travellers and humanitarian cases stranded in both sides are allowed to cross the land terminal linking Egypt and Gaza, said MENA.
Egypt on Wednesday opened the Rafah crossing, the only land terminal bypassing Israel, for humanitarian cases, Xinhua reported.

Palestinian patients received treatment at Egyptian hospitals and other humanitarian cases were allowed to enter Gaza.
Holders of foreign passports and those carrying residence permits in Egypt, students studying outside the Palestinian territories and humanitarian cases would also cross into Egypt.

In the past two days, 220 people crossed into Egypt and 730 entered Gaza via Rafah, said MENA.
In addition, more than 652 tons of humanitarian aid materials, including medicines and powdered milk for children, were sent into Gaza.
Egypt and Israel maintained the closure of their crossing points with Gaza in 2007 since Hamas seized control of the territory by force after defeating the rival Fatah troops under Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Egypt opened Rafah from time to time, particularly during the recent 22-day Israeli attacks on Gaza, for humanitarian cases.
Rafah land crossing was last reopened on Feb. 22-24. 

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