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Gazans stranded in Egypt since Hamas took over in June, returning to Gaza Sunday (Reuters).
Last update - 12:23 02/10/2007
Israel vexed over Egypt letting 80 Hamas men into Gaza Strip
By Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Egypt. Israel, Hamas, Gaza

Israel on Monday issued a message to Egypt over its decision to allow at least 80 Hamas militants to cross into Gaza last Sunday, saying that some of the Islamic group members have recently undergone extensive military training in Iran and Syria, security sources said.

An Israeli spokesman said that Egypt appeared to want to play down its level of coordination with Hamas, and Israel was told that those who crossed on Sunday had broken through the border fence.

Those crossing into the Gaza Strip included senior members of the organization's political leadership, Palestinian sources told Haaretz on Monday.
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The group of Hamas members made it into Gaza through the Rafah crossing.

Since the agreement on the crossing points, which was reached following American pressure in late 2005, Israel lost effective control over who enters the territory from Egypt.

After the Hamas takeover in the Gaza Strip in June, the work of the European Union observers controlling the crossing points between Gaza and the Sinai Peninsula stopped, ending Israeli influence on the activities at the crossing.

In the past four months, the Egyptians had prevented the group of Hamas members from entering the Gaza Strip, in part due to Israeli pressure.

They were stranded near El-Arish, in northern Sinai. Earlier this week, Cairo altered its position and allowed them to reenter the Gaza Strip.

Among those entering the enclave are Hamas legislators Mushir al-Masri, a high-profile spokesman for the movement, and Farej al-Rul. Taleb al-Kawasme, former Interior Minister was also in the group.

Also in the group were members of Iz al-Din al-Qassam, the military wing of Hamas, who had undergone training in camps in Iran and Syria.

Israeli security sources expressed concern that these "experts" were allowed into the Strip because of their ability to bolster terrorist organizations in specialties such as rocket and mortar attacks, sophisticated explosive devices, sniping, and commando raids.

"These are definitely people we would prefer not to see in the Gaza Strip. They did not sneak into the Gaza Strip, but entered through the main gate, with permission and coordination with the Egyptians," an Israeli source said.

While the crossing was the result of an apparent agreement between Hamas and Egypt, the exact circumstances were left vague by those involved, presumably because of the political sensitivities that have been raised.

However, the independent Palestinian news agency Maan reported Monday that Egypt had agreed to the crossing of the Hamas members following a deal that had been struck between Egyptian intelligence and the group.

According to the report, an Al-Qaida militant who had fled to the Gaza Strip from Asyut, a city in southern Egypt, had been handed over to Egyptian authorities by Hamas. In return Egypt allowed the entry of dozens of Hamas members into the Strip.

According to other sources in the Strip, during the weekend an Egyptian intelligence official, Ahmed Abd al-Halk, met with representatives of the Hamas military wing and of the Popular Resistance Committees. Following the meeting, the Egyptians allowed as many as 87 militants to cross, including members of Islamic Jihad.

The militants had been brought to the border area at dawn on buses and crossed Rafah into the Gaza Strip, several kilometers north of the normal crossing point at Rafah.

Sources in the defense establishment said Monday that the entry of well-trained extremists into Gaza is just another chapter in Hamas' growing strength. They charged Egypt of not doing enough to block this.

According to the sources, dozens of experts in paramilitary activities and terrorism have crossed into the Gaza Strip during the past year and have passed on to members of Hamas and other, smaller terrorist organizations the lessons Iran and Hezbollah have learned from the fighting in southern Lebanon during last summer's war.

However, a Hamas spokesman, Sami Abu Zuhri, said that many of those who crossed Sunday were "ordinary citizens."

An Israeli spokesman said that Israel has already allowed about 6,000 Gazans who were stranded in Egypt after the Hamas takeover to return to their homes via Israel.
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  1.   Did Anyone Get Their Pictures? Smile For The Camera 03:28  |  dyinglikeflies 02/10/07
  2.   Duh! 03:45  |  Jewish State 02/10/07
  3.   Then let all food etc come from Egypt too 04:38  |  McQueen 02/10/07
  4.   Double- Cross 04:53  |  Henry 02/10/07
  5.   Can`t buy me love 05:21  |  Natallie Durson 02/10/07
  6.   A serious step towards war with Egypt. 05:36  |  Pessimist 02/10/07
  7.   BUT THEY PROMISED!!!!!!! 06:18  |  Mark 02/10/07
  8.   can`t blame egypt 06:40  |  real vision 02/10/07
  9.   But the Saddam money lounderer goes free... 07:03  |  D 02/10/07
  10.   puzzling 07:16  |  Mark 02/10/07
  11.   Israel`s double standards again... 07:32  |  Dutch 02/10/07
  12.   So is Egypt occupying Gaza? 08:00  |  Hastaroth 02/10/07
  13.   Easy targets now 08:43  |  Daniel 02/10/07
  14.   As an American and an Israeli 08:45  |  b`galil 02/10/07
  15.   Helping the Palestinians to fight back 08:47  |  Clickfool 02/10/07
  16.   For Pessimist, on war # 2 08:51  |  Clickfool 02/10/07
  17.   Israel is always exaggerating claims about Hamas ties.... 08:52  |  Dutch 02/10/07
  18.   Only one entity will look after Israel`s security 09:03  |  Marc Hamil 02/10/07
  19.   THIS HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAND THE 09:05  |  Robert 02/10/07
  20.   #15 Helping Clickprick to understand....... 09:30  |  Hastaroth 02/10/07
  21.   KEEP 80 HAMAS IN EGYPT? ARE THEY CRAZY? 09:38  |  indrajaya 02/10/07
  22.   Retards 09:47  |  BamBoo 02/10/07
  23.   Clikfool,help your domestic Muslims to fight back 09:49  |  Absolute Sweden 02/10/07
  24.   Durson 09:54  |  Jasmine Murphy 02/10/07
  25.   Hastorath 09:57  |  Jasmine Murphy 02/10/07
  26.   I am vexed, you didn`t tell me good morning 10:00  |  Nora 02/10/07
  27.   MODERATES Must Be Protected/Bolstered! ...What A Disappointment. 10:37  |  Proud Pal Defender 02/10/07
  28.   good news 4 the gazans 10:50  |  hussein 02/10/07
  29.   EXECUTE HAMAS,TAKE BACK SINAI,SADAT WAS KILLED,CARTER LOST SEAT 4 10:59  |  SIGNING FALSE PEACE) 02/10/07
  30.   US sees Egypt as Ally , Egypt sees Hamas as ally 11:19  |  Joseph E . 02/10/07
  31.   The one in the dressing gown is going to be in trouble 11:19  |  Hilonit 02/10/07
  32.   egypt has complete control over its gaza border 11:21  |  harzion 02/10/07
  33.   Haaretz apparently not vexed 11:37  |  Jonathan S 02/10/07
  34.   Israel doesnt control Rafah ! No more occupaton excuse ! PERIOD 11:41  |  Alberto Cohen 02/10/07
  35.   For Absolute Sweden # 23 12:32  |  Clickfool 02/10/07
  36.   For Alberto Cohen # 34 12:36  |  Clickfool 02/10/07
  37.   clickfool and his mail 12:45  |  brighton rock 02/10/07
  38.   ClickFOOL your dreams will be over soon 12:53  |  Jonathan S 02/10/07
  39.   WHY VEXED? ISRAEL GOVERNMENT RELEASES MURDERERS INTO GAZA SAME 12:59  |  Alon chiloni 02/10/07
  40.   Hey clickfool 13:03  |  Jasmine Murphy 02/10/07
  41.   For Jasmine Murphy # 40 13:16  |  Clickfool 02/10/07
  42.   The process has begun,israel is losing ground bit by bit and its 13:24  |  lakshmi 02/10/07
  43.   Buffalo droppings from Jonathan S # 38 13:30  |  Clickfool 02/10/07
  44.   Only in your dreams ClickFOOL 14:06  |  Jonathan S 02/10/07
  45.   poor lakshmi and her abuse 14:12  |  rajiv 02/10/07
  46.   re#36 No Clicky, U r wrong ! 1st try 14:16  |  Alberto Cohen 02/10/07
  47.   re#36 No Clicky, U r wrong ! 2nd try 14:17  |  Alberto Cohen 02/10/07
  48.   re#36 No Clicky, U r wrong ! 3rd try 14:17  |  Alberto Cohen 02/10/07
  49.   OMG Israel doesn`t control all crossings to gaza 15:00  |  peter 02/10/07
  50.   Israel Vexed by release of Islamic terrorists and criminals 15:04  |  B 02/10/07
  51.   re#42 Lakshmi and Hamas generous offer !! 15:05  |  Alberto Cohen 02/10/07
  52.   Isreal; Smart Move 15:08  |  Free the World 02/10/07
  53.   Vexed or Jealous? 15:17  |  eddie 02/10/07
  54.   For Jonathan S # 44 15:20  |  Clickfool 02/10/07
  55.   For Alberto Cohen # 46 15:26  |  Clickfool 02/10/07
  56.   Egypt`s Double Standard 15:38  |  * BEN JABO 02/10/07
  57.   re#55 (clicki) R u talking about d past or d present ? 1st try 15:57  |  Alberto Cohen 02/10/07
  58.   re#55 (clicki) R u talking about d past or d present ? 2nd try 15:57  |  Alberto Cohen 02/10/07
  59.   re#55 (clicki) R u talking about d past or d present ? 2nd try 15:58  |  Alberto Cohen 02/10/07
  60.   Ignorant clickfool 16:05  |  Jasmine Murphy 02/10/07
  61.   smart move to give back Sinai 16:09  |  Micha 02/10/07
  62.   can`t wait for Israel to level gaza 16:11  |  Micha 02/10/07
  63.   The Responsible Party -Look in the Mirror 16:16  |  Chick 02/10/07
  64.   Egypt`s move impede regional peace , harm Washington Conference 16:43  |  Joseph E . 02/10/07
  65.   Clickfool #15 - where`s the love? 16:59  |  Polybios 02/10/07
  66.   Clickfool,once more,are your daughters virgins? 17:00  |  Absolute Sweden 02/10/07
  67.   More distortions from Lakshmi (1) 17:12  |  Polybios 02/10/07
  68.   More distortions from Lakshmi (2) 17:16  |  Polybios 02/10/07
  69.   For ClickFOOL and his fantastic world 17:26  |  Jonathan S 02/10/07
  70.   The true nature of Egypt`s politics