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Egypt closes Rafah crossing

May 10, 2017 at 9:39 am

Egyptian authorities sealed the Rafah crossing between Egypt and the besieged Gaza Strip yesterday evening after four consecutive days of allowing Palestinians to return to Gaza from Egypt.

In a statement, the Borders and Crossings Committee said that a total of 3,068 Palestinians were able to enter the Gaza Strip from Egypt over the previous four days, adding that 832 Palestinians entered on Saturday, 1,458 on Sunday, 695 on Monday and 83 on Tuesday.

Egyptian authorities also allowed truckloads of goods and several new vehicles into the Gaza Strip, the statement said.

Read: Toxic gas kills 3 Palestinians in Gaza-Egypt tunnel

Egyptian authorities announced their decision to open the crossing on Thursday, saying that the order came at the request of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.

Initially planned to be a three-day opening for Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, Egyptian authorities later announced the border would be opened on Tuesday as well.

Egypt has upheld an Israeli military blockade on the Gaza Strip since the ousting of former President Mohamed Morsi in 2013 and the rise to power of Al-Sisi.