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| Gaza: Egypt 'to open Rafah crossing to Palestinians' | Gaza: Egypt 'to open Rafah crossing to Palestinians' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Egypt is to open the Rafah border crossing into Gaza permanently to most Palestinians from Saturday, Egyptian state news agency Mena has said. | Egypt is to open the Rafah border crossing into Gaza permanently to most Palestinians from Saturday, Egyptian state news agency Mena has said. |
| Gaza has been under blockade since 2007, when the Islamist Hamas movement took control of the territory. | Gaza has been under blockade since 2007, when the Islamist Hamas movement took control of the territory. |
| Under ex-President Hosni Mubarak - ousted in February - Egypt opposed the Hamas administration and helped Israel to enforce the blockade. | Under ex-President Hosni Mubarak - ousted in February - Egypt opposed the Hamas administration and helped Israel to enforce the blockade. |
| Israel says the blockade is needed to stop weapons being smuggled into Gaza. | Israel says the blockade is needed to stop weapons being smuggled into Gaza. |
| The Rafah crossing will be opened permanently from 0900 to 2100 every day except Fridays and holidays, beginning Saturday 27 May, Mena said. | The Rafah crossing will be opened permanently from 0900 to 2100 every day except Fridays and holidays, beginning Saturday 27 May, Mena said. |
| "Palestinian women of all ages will be exempted from visas as will men under 18 or over 40," Mena reported. | "Palestinian women of all ages will be exempted from visas as will men under 18 or over 40," Mena reported. |
| Rafah is the only crossing into Gaza which bypasses Israel. | Rafah is the only crossing into Gaza which bypasses Israel. |
| The announcement marks a significant shift in Egypt's foreign policy. | |
| The transitional military government said last month that it intended to open the crossing permanently. | |
| The move is likely to anger Israel. Last year, Israel eased restrictions on goods entering Gaza, but significant shortages in the territory remain. | The move is likely to anger Israel. Last year, Israel eased restrictions on goods entering Gaza, but significant shortages in the territory remain. |
| Mena said the decision to open the Rafah crossing was part of efforts "to end the status of the Palestinian division and achieve national reconciliation". | Mena said the decision to open the Rafah crossing was part of efforts "to end the status of the Palestinian division and achieve national reconciliation". |
| Egypt's post-Mubarak government has already helped broker a reconciliation agreement between Hamas and the Fatah faction, which governs the Palestinian West Bank. Israel has condemned the deal. | |
| Under Mr Mubarak, Egypt upheld its unpopular peace treaty with Israel and opposed Hamas in the internal Palestinian power-struggle. | |
| Hundreds of smuggling tunnels run under the Egyptian border with Gaza. | |
| The blockade has been condemned as a form of collective punishment of the population of the Gaza Strip because of the hardships it causes. | |
| In 2010, the International Committee of the Red Cross said in 2010 that the blockade was a clear violation of international humanitarian law. |