412 Palestinians entered Egypt on Wednesday, the first of two days Egypt has opened the Rafah border crossing, according to the Palestinian State’s Ministry of Interior. Palestine’s Border and Crossings Authority said in a statement that a total of 433 on seven buses crossed from Palestine into Egypt, but the Palestinian interior ministry later clarified that only 412 entered Egypt, while 11 others were rejected from entry. To be able to exit, Gaza residents must meet Egypt’s criteria, which includes only medical patients with a referral, students, and others who have foreign residency or are holders of foreign passports. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi allowed the opening of the border crossing in both directions on the request of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who met with Sisi in Cairo earlier this week, state-owned Ahram Online reported. The opening of the border on Wednesday and Thursday marks the first time Egypt has allowed crossings through Rafah since February of this year. Connecting Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula with the Gaza Strip, the border crossing has seen an almost permanent closure since October 2014 when militants in North Sinai killed over 30 Egyptian soldiers. According…
Over 400 Palestinians Enter Egypt as Rafah Crossing Opens for 48 Hours
May 12, 2016
