Egypt promises Rafah crossing to be reopened before Ramadan

Thursday August 28, 2008 12:34 by Rula Shahwan - IMEMC News & Agencies

Egypt said will reopen the Rafah crossing with the Gaza Strip on Saturday and Sunday to in order to end the plight of 200 Egyptians stranded in the Gaza Strip for the past seven months, media outlets reported on Thursday.

Kerem Shalom

The Karm Abu Salem broder crossing, also known as, "Kerem Shalom" will also be open to a small number of Palestinians, especially for those stranded on the Egyptian side and those in need of immediate medical care.

The Egyptian gesture as the Moslem Holy month of Ramadan nears.

While Israel had allowed some goods, such as construction materials, into Gaza, the blockade has remained in place, and the 1.5 million residents of Gaza remain trapped inside, lacking essential medical and food supplies.

The Interior Ministry of the deposed Hamas government in Gaza will clarify later this week exactly who will be allowed to cross.

Earlier this week, The Israeli Minister of Defense Ehud Barak ordered the borders closed late on Monday.

The closure of the crossings violates the terms of the Egyptian-brokered a ceasefire truce on 19 June negotiated by Hamas and Israel, which stipulates that Hamas would halt firing home-made shells into Israel, in exchange of lifting the year-long siege on the Gaza Strip.

gaza strip | truce | news report rula at imemc dot org