Last batch of Palestinians stranded in Egypt returns to Gaza Strip - Haaretz

Subscribe to Print Edition

Fri., August 10, 2007 Av 26, 5767

Israel Time: 03:38 (EST+7)

web haaretz.com

Back to Homepage

Print Edition

Diplomacy

Defense

Real Estate

Arts & Leisure

Jewish World

National

Sports

Advertising

Magazine

Week's End

Opinion

Business

Rosner's Domain

Anglo File

Travel

Q&A



		Palestinians returning on Thursday to the Gaza Strip from Egypt via the Erez border crossing, situated between Israel and the Gaza Strip. (AP)

del.icio.us

Digg It! new

Last update - 22:41 09/08/2007

Last batch of Palestinians stranded in Egypt returns to Gaza Strip

By News Agencies

About 400 Palestinians, the last of thousands seeking to return home after being stranded in Egypt, crossed back into Gaza on Thursday, an Egyptian security source said.

More than 6,000 Palestinians had been stuck in Egypt after Israel closed the main Rafah crossing point to Gaza in June.

Many had been living in concrete shelters or low-budget hotels in northern Sinai as their money dwindled.

	Advertisement

The last batch of about 400 crossed back into Gaza through the Awja border crossing south of Rafah, more than a week after Egypt began moving them out of Sinai, the source said.

Clashes broke out last month between Egyptian police and Palestinians detained at al-Arish airport in northern Sinai. The Palestinians had tried to break free after complaining of dwindling funds and lack of food and medical supplies.

Egypt sent hundreds of additional police to reinforce its border last month in case Palestinian militants tried to storm it. Palestinian demonstrators in El Arish had demanded it reopen.

While the stranded Palestinians included some holidaymakers, most were Gazans who had sought medical treatment abroad and could not return after Israel closed the Rafah crossing in June.

About 30 Palestinians detained at al-Arish airport remain in Egypt and refuse to return, fearing they would be arrested while on their way through Israel, the source said.

UN official: Gaza faces economic disaster if blockade continues
The Gaza Strip will soon become entirely dependent on foreign aid and face disastrous consequences if the Hamas-controlled territory remains sealed off, a senior UN official warned Thursday.

Israel and Egypt closed their crossings with Gaza to all but humanitarian aid after the Islamic militant Hamas seized power in the coastal strip in June. The closures have exacerbated poverty among the 1.4 million residents of the already impoverished territory.

"The blockade has created a highly volatile situation, and the window of opportunity for addressing it is small and fast closing", said Filippo Grandi, the deputy head of UN Relief and Works Agency, the international body responsible for Palestinian refugees.

"Gaza risks becoming a virtually 100 percent aid dependent, closed down and isolated community within a matter of months or weeks, if the present regime of closure continues," Grandi told reporters Thursday at a Gaza City press conference.

"Failure to open the crossings will lead to disastrous consequences and an atmosphere of hopelessness and despair in which extremism is likely to take hold," he cautioned.

The cumulative loss to industry in Gaza has reached $23 million since the Hamas takeover - according to figures released Thursday by the Association of Palestinian Businessmen. If the closure continues, at least 120,000 workers in Gaza could lose their jobs, the association said.

Bookmark to del.icio.us


	Sebastia U.
	People should know degrees from Ariel's 'Civilian University College' will not be legal.


	Soul in a bowl
	Muscat wine gives the sorbet a sweet flavor, and the alcohol helps maintain a soft texture.




1.	Every Time You Try Trade, They Send Killers	14:54	\|	Dyinglikeflies	09/08/07

2.	Isolation in Gaza.	15:57	\|	John Allen	09/08/07

3.	Welcome Home to Gaza!	16:31	\|	Chick	09/08/07

4.	#1..DLF	17:01	\|	Nemesis	09/08/07

5.	Nice idea, John Allen	18:32	\|	christa	09/08/07

6.	Gaza isolated	21:11	\|	joel armstrong	09/08/07

7.	Christa - cause and effect	00:43	\|	ChanahS	10/08/07

8.	Egypt isn`t stupid either	01:09	\|	Lynn	10/08/07

Today Online


	U.S. university heads slam U.K. boycott of Israeli academe
	Responses: 211


	Israel Harel: Arab war with Israel is over ideology, not territory
	Responses: 257


	Bar Ilan University may discipline prof. who wished officer dead
	Responses: 93


	Israeli government sends conciliatory messages to Syria
	Responses: 60


	Shlomo Shamir: The disobedience of the ultra-Orthodox
	Responses: 31

Rosner's Domain

* The Orthodox Union should raise its voice against Orthodox disobedience

* Hoyer wants to hear Israeli point of view on Iraq

* Guest: What Jewish American voters want

* WTR: Assistant State Secretary promises to blow out the Iranian flame

More Headlines
03:04 No new beds for state hospitals until 2010


01:16 Council refuses to recognize West Bank college as University


01:15 Lawyer: Charges against officer bid to veil superiors' culpability


02:26 Kaddish, Psalms to be read at funeral of Jewish-born Lustiger


19:47 Court rejects petition to cancel ex-MK's reduced sentence


02:41 Developer Heftsiba leaves 500 families without apartments, guarantees


01:48 Israeli agent testifies against Muslim charity in U.S. in terrorism case


22:00 Labor Court to rule Friday on lifeguard strike planned for weekend


00:55 IAF helicopter strikes defunct airport in Gaza; no casualties


01:50 7-year-old Petah Tikva critically injured in hit-and-run