Palestinian security sources of Hamas' interior ministry said Tuesday that Egypt reopened Rafah border crossing to allow 28 Gaza patients to enter Egypt for urgent medical treatment.
Earlier on Monday, Egypt has opened the crossing on the border with southern Gaza Strip for more than 40 Palestinians, who were stranded at the Egyptian side of the crossing, to cross into the strip, the sources added.
Rafah border crossing was shut down last summer, right after Hamas movement took control of Gaza Strip and routed President Mahmoud Abbas' security forces, including those at Rafah crossing.
Israel, which reached an agreement with Palestinian National Authority in coordination with the European Union and Egypt in 2005, rejects to reopen the crossing between Gaza and Egypt.
After a truce brokered by Egypt between Israel and Gaza militant groups since June 19, Israel said that reopening Rafah crossing is linked to freeing captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalitin Gaza.
According to the truce agreement, Israel should gradually ease the restrictions imposed on Israel-Gaza crossings and allow the flow of goods into Gaza. However, opening Rafah crossing remains under negotiation.
Since Hamas takeover of Gaza last June, Egypt has opened Rafah crossing several times to allow patients, students and stranded Palestinians to cross into Egypt.
Source:Xinhua
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