Egypt temporarily opens Rafah border crossing into Gaza

Egyptian authorities on Wednesday opened the Rafah border crossing into the Gaza Strip for two days.

A source in Gaza's Borders and Crossings Commission said that Egyptian authorities requested that priority be given to those carrying Egyptian passports, Xinhua news agency reported.

The source said the first two buses will transport Egyptian citizens according to ministerial records and humanitarian cases.

The last time the crossing was opened was on February 13 for three days.

However, Deputy Minister of the Gazan Interior Ministry Kamel Abu Madi criticized the opening of the crossing only for two days as it "does not resolve the deteriorating humanitarian crisis" in the Gaza Strip.

According to Abu Madi, over 30,000 people registered to travel at the ministry.

He called on Egyptian authorities to immediately open the crossing and permanently keep it open since it represents the "lungs through which the Gaza Strip breathes".

--IANS

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