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Egypt reopens Rafah crossing with Gaza Strip for 2 days

Xinhua, February 13, 2016 Adjust font size:

Egypt on Saturday reopened the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip for two days after it remained closed for 70 days, a Palestinian statement said.

The last time Egypt reopened the terminal was on on Dec. 3 last year for two days.

In its statement, the Hamas-ruled Borders and Crossings Corporation said that Egypt reopened the crossing from its side and the first bus of passengers had already crossed.

It added that the crossing will be working on Saturday and Sunday for Palestinians who want to travel in both directions, adding that priority is for humanitarian cases, students and those who hold dual citizenships.

Hundreds of Palestinians gathered on Saturday morning at the Palestinian side waiting for busses to move them into Egypt.

The corporation said that the Rafah terminal was opened for only 21 days in 2015, adding that the year was the worst ever for operating the crossing, the only gate for around 2 million Palestinians in Gaza to the world.

Since 2007, Hamas movement has been ruling the Gaza Strip, including Rafah crossing after it violently seized control of the enclave following weeks of internal fighting with security forces of President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Party. Endit