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Hamas militants. (Reuters) Last update - 14:13 30/06/2008 Egypt to reopen Rafah border crossing for two days By Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent , and News Agencies Tags: gaza, fatah, israel, hamas Palestinian diplomat Nabil Amr said on Monday that Egypt will reopen the Rafah border crossing with the Hamas-run Gaza Strip for two days to allow hundreds of stranded people on both sides to cross. According to Amr, the opening will begin on Tuesday. All Palestinians who need medical treatment would be allowed into Egypt, as well as those with residency permits in Egypt or elsewhere, Amr told reporters in Cairo. Palestinians returning from abroad will also be allowed into Gaza from Egypt, he said, adding that the opening of the border was humanitarian decision in response to appeals from Palestinians stuck because of border closures. Advertisement The move followed talks on Sunday between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Egypt's chief of intelligence Omar Suleiman on the Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts. Egypt earlier this month brokered a cease-fire accord between the Hamas militants who control Gaza and Israel. Under the deal, the Palestinians would stop rocket attacks into Israel while the Israelis would halt reprisal incursions into Palestinian territory. The truce also meant to end Israel's yearlong sealing of Gaza's borders and an economic blockade that caused widespread shortages of basic humanitarian goods. The Rafah crossing is the main gateway for Gaza's 1.4 million people for travel abroad. It was sealed after the Hamas bloody takeover of Gaza a year ago. The closure has also prevented people from traveling for medical care, studies and family visits. The six-month cease-fire worked out during months of Egyptian mediation began June 19, but has been marred by rockets being launched into southern Israel. Hamas on Sunday arrested a spokesman for the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, in the wake of the militant group's claim of responsibility last week for Qassam rocket fire that threatened the truce in the Gaza Strip. A statement released on Monday by the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade said that Mohammed Abu Irmana, also known as Abu Qusai, was arrested as part of an agreement with Israel intended to harm the Palestinian resistance. The Hamas government in the Gaza Strip voiced its rage last Thursday after Gaza militants fired two rockets into southern Israel, causing no injuries but further straining a shaky cease-fire between Israel and the Gaza rulers that took effect June 19. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, a militant group aligned to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction, claimed responsibility for the attack and demanded that the cease-fire be extended into the West Bank. "The rocket attack was in response to Israeli violations. Any calm deal must end Israeli attacks on our people in the West Bank too," Abu Qusai said last week. In a statement carried by the official Palestinian news agency Ma'an, Hamas warned the militant factions against violating the terms of the cease fire with Israel, saying such violations harmed the Palestinian national interest. Hamas also threatened to take the necessary steps against the violators. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh urged Palestinians on Friday to abide by the cease-fire. "We expect everyone to abide by the agreement," Haniyeh said after Friday prayers. "That is the only way the Palestinian nation can achieve what it is searching for - an end to the suffering and the siege." Bookmark to del.icio.us   Death penalty Iran hands down death sentence to man who spied for Israel. Robot hospital The place where IDF treats droids wounded in the line of fire.   1.   I CANT UNDERSTAND HAMAS 10:52  |  indrajaya 30/06/08   2.   Hamas 10:55  |  bretware 30/06/08   3.   to idrajaya 11:46  |  Belgium 30/06/08   4.   Whatever Happened to The Right to Fight the Zionist Enemy!!! 12:02  |  Puzzled Palestinian 30/06/08   5.   # 1 indrajaya 12:13  |  GSW 30/06/08   6.   Its just a farce 12:19  |  Adrian de Klerk 30/06/08   7.   shame on Hamas 12:30  |  Leon Rosgarten 30/06/08   8.   Professor indrajaya 12:35  |  MR 30/06/08   9.   1.Indrajaya,these so called al aksa people are most likely agent 12:44  |  lakshmi 30/06/08   10.   # 1. Indy. What you dont understand is reality. 13:13  |  Stephen. 30/06/08   11.   1 Indrajaya: there are so many things that you do not understand 13:29  |  Realist 30/06/08   12.   Like I said, they became Israel`s police 13:33  |  Pervert 30/06/08   13.   If they keep their part of bargain so shold Israel 13:34  |  CM 30/06/08   14.   The Bottom Line 13:43  |  Mark Lincoln 30/06/08   15.   # 1 INDY...It was bound to happen 14:27  |  Lynn 30/06/08   16.   #1 - what do you understand on the subject ..? 14:43  |  redmike 30/06/08   17.   Egypt and the ?Palestinians?. 15:20  |  jean Van Daem 30/06/08   18.   Who is going to watch the smuggling of weapons into the Strip? 15:38  |  a 30/06/08   19.   Who is going to watch the smuggling of weapons into the Strip? 15:38  |  a 30/06/08   20.   # 4. Puzzled Palestinian....! 15:49  |  Stephen. 30/06/08   21.   # 4 Puzzled Pal....let`s face it, 17:40  |  Lynn 30/06/08   22.   He forgot to mention the Hamas terrorists returning from training 18:29  |  Pervert 30/06/08   23.   To Indy/Puzzled Pal: It`s hard to grow up and be a big boy 19:38  |  Aphemia 30/06/08   24.   2 days to bring in rockets 02:34  |  Free Gilad Shalit 01/07/08

Read & React Iran hands down death sentence to 'spy for Israel' Responses: 149 ANALYSIS / Prisoner swap is capitulation to blackmail by terrorists Responses: 93 Olmert: I voted for swap to prevent another Ron Arad Responses: 91 Gaza reporter: Israeli security officials broke my ribs Responses: 63 Hamas worried about rise in support for religious sects Responses: 67 Rosner's Domain Israel's image still under renovation How "respectful" will the 2008 election be? (WTR) Poll: Hezbollah swap - good or bad? Can Israel legally strike Iran with nukes? Is Time's Joe Klein being honest when he criticizes Joe Lieberman? More Headlines 03:12 Olmert: Let's speed up deal for Shalit 04:16 Despite Hezbollah report, this is not the end of the Ron Arad story 21:16 New law stipulates: Territorial withdrawal only by referendum 01:08 Israel closes Gaza border crossings once again in wake of Qassam 04:08 Want a sex change operation? Consider doing it in Israel 00:51 Poll: 76% of Israelis feel safer living as Jews in Israel than in Diaspora 00:26 Police: Officer who shot himself during Sarkozy farewell definitely committed suicide 01:27 German officials defend their hunt for most-wanted Nazi, 94 02:01 Reputed Indian newspapers taken in by Nazi war criminal hoax 04:22 Haaretz journalist wins investigative reporting award 22:37 Israeli tennis duo Ram, Erlich advance to Wimbledon quarterfinals; Peer ousted 18:03 Gaza reporter: Israeli security officials broke my ribs 16:08 Syrian FM: I wish Syria had Israel's nuclear arsenal 02:50 Dog training or fashion design? Kids choose their day camp Previous Editions Select Day 30 jun 29 jun 27 jun 26 jun 25 jun 24 jun 23 jun 22 jun 20 jun 19 jun 18 jun 17 jun

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