Egypt Delays Opening Of Rafah Border Crossing With Gaza After Sinai Attack
09 November 2017EsinIslam And
Agencies
Egypt has delayed the opening of the Egypt-Gaza Rafah border crossing due to
security concerns after a North Sinai attack on a mosque killed more than 200
people, MENA state news agency said Friday, citing the Palestinian embassy in
Cairo.
The border was scheduled to reopen for three days to allow travel from both
sides, the agency said. But the official in Gaza, speaking on condition of
anonymity, said it will remain closed.
Friday's bomb and gun assault on the Rawda mosque near North Sinai provincial
capital of El-Arish killed at least 235 people.
"The Egyptian side informed us that Rafah will not reopen on Saturday because
of the tragic events in Northern Sinai," the official added.
The border reopened last Saturday for three days for the first time since the
transfer of control of Gaza crossing points from Hamas movement to the
Palestinian Authority on Nov. 1.
It had been closed since August, and the reopening allowed patients, students
and stranded people to leave the Palestinian enclave.
Gaza has been subject to Israeli blockade for a decade, and for years to the
almost permanent closure of its border with Egypt.
Hamas took control of the strip in June 2007.
The transfer of control of border crossings is a major test for a
reconciliation deal reached in Cairo on Oct. 12, after multiple previous
attempts at Hamas-Fatah reconciliation over the past decade failed.
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