( AP ) - Israel's defense minister has ordered the army to allow an unspecified number of Palestinians fleeing the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip to enter Israel, the Defense Ministry announced Wednesday.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak instructed officials to let in "humanitarian cases," according to the announcement. That apparently meant people needing urgent medical treatment.
An estimated 200 Palestinians have been stranded for days at the Erez crossing from Gaza into Israel, fleeing the Hamas forces that took over Gaza last week but unable to enter Israel.