Egypt Closes Rafah Border Crossing Four Days After Re-Opening It

Egypt has closed the Rafah border crossing just four days after re-opening it, Al-Ahram Arabic news website reported on Friday.

Al-Ahram, quoting Palestinian media sources, said that no information is available about when or if Egypt plans to re-open the crossing.

Egyptian authorities re-opened the crossing on Monday, allowing 6329 people to pass through it either way by the end of Thursday, according to what Egyptian border authorities told state news agency MENA.

Egyptian authorities have for the most part kept the Rafah crossing closed since October 2014, following attacks by Islamist militants in Egypt’s governorate of North Sinai which left over 30 security personnel dead.

The authorities have on occasion opened it for three-day periods, allowing the passage of those in need of medical care to Egypt as well as Palestinians travelling in either direction.

Cairo has accused the Islamist movement Hamas, the de facto rulers of the Israeli-besieged Gaza Strip, of aiding militant groups in northern Sinai.

Hamas has repeatedly denied the accusations.

Source : Ahram online