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Border official: Egypt opens Gaza crossing to some

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-02-22 18:03

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- A spokesman for officials at the Gaza-Egypt border says Egyptian authorities are letting some students, third-country residents and medical patients stranded in the Gaza Strip cross the usually closed frontier.

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Spokesman Adel Zourab says Egypt has agreed to allow 500 students and 500 others with valid residency permits for Egypt or other countries to pass through the border crossing on Sunday. He says 800 medical cases will be allowed to cross on Monday.

Egypt sealed the border after Islamic Hamas militants seized control of Gaza in June 2007. It has occasionally opened the passage for limited periods. Israel has also kept its crossings with Gaza closed.

Rafah is Gaza's main gateway to the outside world.