By Kevin Kim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East
CAIRO, Egypt – Egypt closed its breached border wall with Gaza on Sunday morning, ending 11 days of shopping expedition for Palestinian residents of the blockaded territory. Egyptian troops allowed Palestinians and Egyptians to cross the border so they can return home on the other side, but prevented any new cross-border movement.
According to Senior Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar, Egypt agreed to coordinate with Hamas to seal the Gaza border temporarily while the Egyptians search for a way to reopen the border. Zahar also said Egypt agreed to enable thousands of Palestinians stuck in Egypt to go to third world countries where they already have visas or residency permits.
Hamas blew the wall open on January 23 to end a seven-month Israeli and Egypt blockade of Gaza. Since the border breach, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have crossed the border to stock up on necessities in Egypt and Hamas has thwarted repeated attempts by Egypt to close the frontier.
During the blockade, thousands of Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip were denied access to the outside world. The Egyptian authorities have prevented the Palestinians from traveling abroad, including those who have legitimate reasons. Some had already been traveling abroad for medical treatment, or had appointments for treatment, while others were employed or studying in different countries.
Palestinians also lacked food, medicines, fuel and other basic necessities. Right before the border breach in January, the Israeli authorities had tightened their already stifling blockade on Gaza, making food and other supplies scarcer. United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, B. Lynn Pascoe, has said that only 32 truckloads of goods entered Gaza between January 18 and 29 due to the blockade, causing a backlog of some 224 trucks belonging to various UN agencies to build up. Before the tightening of the Israeli blockade, an average of 250 trucks entered Gaza daily.
Zahar said Egypt plans to talk with European officials concerning the border standoff. The EU foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, was expected to arrive in Cairo on Saturday. The international Middle East envoy, Tony Blair, is also scheduled to come to the region.
For more information, please see:
Wasthington Post – Egypt closes border with Gaza – 3 February 2008
AFP – Gaza border with Egypt sealed after mass exodus – 3 February 2008
The Associated Press – Egypt to seal Gaza border Sunday – 2 February 2008
BBC News – Crossing into Egypt for supplies – 2 February 2008
Amnesty International – Egypt blocks Gazan’s access to the outside world – 31 January 2008
