Egypt Recloses Rafah Border After Three-Day Opening For Palestinian Pilgrims

Egyptian authorities on Tuesday reclosed its Rafah border with Gaza, only three days after opening the crossing to allow Palestinian pilgrims in and out of the besieged strip.

The borders will be closed indefinitely until authorities decide otherwise, reported Al-Ahram’s Arabic news website.

Egyptian authorities on Sunday reopened the Rafah border crossing with Gaza after a 10-day closure.

The Rafah crossing is the only border with Hamas-run Gaza that is not controlled by Israel.

The relationship between Egyptian authorities and Hamas, an ideological offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, have soured since the ouster of president Mohamed Morsi, a senior Brotherhood leader.

Egyptian officials have accused Hamas of providing support to Islamic militants in the Sinai Peninsula since Morsi’s ouster in July 2013. Hamas has repeatedly denied any involvement.

Egypt has also launched a campaign to destroy tunnels providing vital gas and food supplies to 1.7 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which has been under Israeli siege since 2007.

Source : Ahram online