Egypt lets cement pass through Rafah into Gaza

The authorities in Egypt have allowed a limited amount of cement to pass through the Rafah Border Crossing into the Gaza Strip, Anadolu reported on Tuesday.

According to a statement from the Palestinian economic ministry, the Egyptians allowed 1,000 tons of cement and 166 tons of gravel to cross the border. The consignment was coordinated by the Egyptian authorities and construction companies in the besieged territory. There was no involvement by the ministry.

Gaza has been suffering from a severe shortage of construction materials since the start of the Israeli siege in mid-2007. The problems have been aggravated by the three major Israeli offensives waged against the coastal enclave since 2008.

Egypt opened the Rafah Crossing on Monday. The government in Cairo announced last week that it would be open from Monday to Thursday.