Tony Blair's sister-in-law leaves Gaza after being stranded in Strip for nearly a month

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's sister-in-law has crossed into Egypt from the Gaza Strip, after she was stranded there since she came with another 45 pro-Palestinian activists who sailed into Gaza waters on Aug. 23 to draw attention to Israel's blockade of the coastal territory.

Booth has been trying to leave Gaza since last month but was turned away at Israeli and Egyptian crossings.

An Associated Press reporter saw Lauren Booth getting her passport stamped Saturday while inside the Egyptian side of the Rafah border terminal. Police prevented reporters from talking with her.

Egypt has opened it border on several occasions for humanitarian cases. It plans to keep the crossing open through Sunday.

Palestinian officials say a terminal on the Gaza-Egypt border is operating temporarily to allow the passage of university students and medical patients, as well as 40 passenger buses of pilgrims headed for Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

The Rafah crossing is usually closed as part of a blockade of Gaza by Israel and Egypt. The blockade was imposed after the violent takeover of Gaza by the Islamic militant Hamas more than a year ago.

Egypt allows Rafah to open from time to time to deal with hardship cases. This time, Rafah is to be open on Saturday and Sunday.

Ehab Ghussen of the Hamas Interior Ministry says some 3,000 Gazan have registered for departure during the two days. Among those trying to get out are Gaza students accepted at foreign universities and medical patients seeking treatment abroad.

A permanent opening of the Rafah crossing is one of the preconditions Hamas has laid out for Israel in exchange for the release of abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, the London-based newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat quoted a senior Hamas official as saying Friday.

	The Egypt-Gaza border, during a reopening of the Rafah crossing last month. (AP)