Egypt
said that the Rafah border crossing would be opened permanently starting
on Saturday from 9am to 9pm every day except Fridays and holidays.
Women, children and men over 40 are now allowed to cross freely. Men aged
between 18 and 40 will still require a permit, and trade is prohibited.
Egypt allowed nearly 300 Gazans to enter its territory at the Rafah crossing
in the first hour after it opened. By the end of the day, 450 travellers had
crossed into Egypt. Only 23 were turned back because of Egyptian security
concerns, a Palestinian border official said.
Among the first to cross the reopened border post were two ambulances ferrying
patients from the hitherto-blockaded Gaza Strip for treatment in Egypt as
well as a minibus carrying a dozen visitors.
Israel fears weapons will be imported into Gaza, but Egypt insists it will
conduct thorough searches.
This gives Gaza Palestinians a way to freely enter and exit their territory
for the first time since 2007, when Hamas overran the territory, and Israel
and Egypt closed the crossings.
Previously, only about 300 Palestinians were allowed out every day.
Israel's crossings are more significant, since they handle most cargo. A year
ago Israel significantly eased its restrictions on cargo entering Gaza, but
it still severely limits entry and exit of Gazans through its northern
crossing into Israel.
The move to reopen the border is the latest in the Egyptian government's moves
to reassess its position with its neighbours, following the ousting of Hosni
Mubarak in February.
State press agency MENA said the decision to open the Rafah crossing was part
of efforts "to end the status of the Palestinian division and achieve
national reconciliation."
The statement said rules in effect before the blockade would be reinstated. At
that time, European observers had a role in operating the crossing, and
Israel monitored people and cargo to keep out militants and weapons.
Egypt's Foreign Minister Nabil Elaraby told the Arab satellite channel
Al-Jazeera late last month that the closure of Rafah crossing was about to
end, calling the decision to close it "a disgusting matter."
Gazans have circumvented the blockade by operating hundreds of smuggling
tunnels under the 9 mile Gaza-Egypt border.
The tunnels have been used to bring in all manner of products, as well as
people.
Israel said that Hamas has used the tunnels to import weapons, including
rockets that can reach main population centres in Israel's centre.
