The Egyptian authorities will open Rafah crossing with Gaza for four days as of today, Wednesday, February 21, the Palestinian embassy in Cairo announced.
However, local Palestinian media sources announced that the crossing was shut down only hours after it was opened.
Dozens of travelers gather at #Rafah border crossing, in the border between #Gaza and #Egypt, on Wednesday after Egyptian authorities opened the crossing exceptionally for 4 days. pic.twitter.com/mWgfvABjp1
— Palestine Observer (@PalObserver) February 21, 2018
The Palestinian embassy had said in a press statement a day earlier that the crossing will be opened in both directions.
Shutting down the crossing so soon after the decision to reopen it is catastrophic for Palestinian families that have been waiting to be united for weeks.
Hundreds of Palestinians have to suffer when they try to leave the besieged Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing, the only gate of the Strip to the outside world.
Egyptian authorities opened the crossing exceptionally today morning to allow ex… pic.twitter.com/cO98CtK4mE
— #FreePalestine ?? (@Taghreeba) February 21, 2018
Egypt opens the crossing, which is Gaza’s only window to the outside world, for a few days every one or two months to allow movement of what is described as humanitarian cases, including students studying abroad, people with work permits and residency in other countries and patients seeking treatment outside Gaza.
#Palestinians wait for travel permits to cross into #Egypt through the Rafah border crossing after it was opened by #Egyptian authorities for humanitarian cases, in the southern #Gaza Strip #February 21, 2018. #REUTERS/Mohammed Salem pic.twitter.com/FO0mhNy14w
— mohammed jad salem (@msalem66) February 21, 2018
The crossing was supposed to open continuously once the Palestinian Authority assumes full control of the Gaza Strip, as part of reconciliation process between the ruling Fatah movement and Hamas.
(Wafa, PC, Social Media)
