By Ola Attalah
GAZA CITY
Egyptian authorities reopened the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip on Sunday to allow the travel of Palestinian pilgrims, the Gaza government said.
Maher Abu Sabha, the head of Gaza's crossing and border authority, told Anadolu Agency that 800 Gaza pilgrims will be allowed to travel through Egypt, while other pilgrims will be allowed to return to Gaza.
He added the border crossing would be open for two days and only to allow pilgrims to cross.
Abu Sabha said Egyptian authorities had not notified them of allowing any of the stranded patients and humanitarian cases to cross the terminal.
Around 15,000 Palestinians had applied to leave Gaza through the border crossing with Egypt so far.
Egypt has tightened its grip on the border with Gaza since last July's ouster of Mohamed Morsi – the country's first freely elected president.
Egyptian authorities accuse Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, of interfering in Egypt's domestic affairs and carrying out attacks inside the country, charges that Hamas has repeatedly denied.
www.aa.com.tr/en
