(AFP File Photo)
The Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip will be opened for three days starting next Saturday in both directions, according to a Wednesday statement by the Palestinian embassy in Egypt.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) personally intervened to facilitate the opening of the crossing, read the embassy’s statement.
The border was last opened for three days from 27-29 May .It was opened in only one direction for Palestinians to return to Palestinian territories. Over a thousand Palestinian crossed the border.
The border has been largely closed since the ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi in 2013. Throughout the Gaza war during summer 2014, the border was opened once for humanitarian cases.
The strip is controlled by Palestinian movement Hamas. Relations between Egypt and Hamas have greatly deteriorated over the past two years, as the movement has been accused of its involvement in Egypt’s internal situation. Hamas however denied such accusations.
However, Hamas recently had its “terrorist” designation dropped by Egyptian court order.
