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Palestinians blow up border wall Gazans blow up Egypt border wall
(about 1 hour later)
Hundreds of Palestinians have surged into Egypt from the Gaza Strip after masked militants blew several holes in a border wall. Thousands of Palestinians have surged into Egypt from the Gaza Strip after masked militants blew several holes in a border wall.
The Gazans rushed to buy food, fuel and other supplies that have become scarce because of an Israeli blockade. Gazans rushed to buy food, fuel and other supplies that have become scarce because of an Israeli blockade - aimed at stopping rocket attacks from Gaza.
The radical Hamas movement which controls Gaza has repeatedly appealed to Egypt to open its border to relieve the siege. Egypt has backed the closure and the militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza, has urged it to open its border.
Egyptian border guards and Hamas police took no action against the border raid. Egyptian border guards took no action against the raid, eyewitnesses said.
Earlier on Wednesday, a Hamas militant was killed during an exchange of fire near Gaza's border with Israel, Palestinian officials said. Gaza has been short of fuel and other essential goods since last week, when Israel imposed the blockade.
We want to buy food, we want to buy rice and sugar, milk and wheat and some cheese Ibrahim Abu TahaGaza resident It was eased slightly on Tuesday to allow some fuel and medicines through.
Early on Wednesday gunmen set off a number of explosions along the wall on the border.
Among the thousands of Gazans who crossed into Egypt near the town of Rafah was Ibrahim Abu Taha, a father of seven.
"We want to buy food, we want to buy rice and sugar, milk and wheat and some cheese," he told the Associated Press news agency.
Water cannonWater cannon
Both incidents came a day after 60 women were injured when Egyptian police broke up a protest against the siege at the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt. Earlier on Wednesday, a Hamas militant was killed during an exchange of fire near Gaza's border with Israel, Palestinian officials said.
Both incidents came a day after 60 women were injured when Egyptian police broke up a protest against the siege at the Rafah crossing.
Gaza's rocket threat to Israel'Wartime' on Israeli borderGaza diary: Day OneGaza's rocket threat to Israel'Wartime' on Israeli borderGaza diary: Day One
The police had fired into the air and used water cannon to drive back Palestinian women who tried to surge across the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza. The police had fired into the air and used water cannon to drive back Palestinian women who tried to surge across the border.
Hundreds of Palestinians had demanded the crossing be reopened to allow the passage of vital supplies made scarce by the blockade.Hundreds of Palestinians had demanded the crossing be reopened to allow the passage of vital supplies made scarce by the blockade.
On Tuesday, Israel eased its four-day Gaza lockdown by allowing fuel and medicine deliveries.
But it has indicated restrictions may be re-imposed if rocket attacks continue.
In New York on Tuesday, Israeli and Palestinian envoys had clashed at the United Nations Security Council during a debate on Israel's blockade.In New York on Tuesday, Israeli and Palestinian envoys had clashed at the United Nations Security Council during a debate on Israel's blockade.
The Palestinian UN observer accused Israel of fuelling violence, while the Israeli envoy said his country had to protect its people from rocket attacks.The Palestinian UN observer accused Israel of fuelling violence, while the Israeli envoy said his country had to protect its people from rocket attacks.
The council was considering a call for Israel to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza freely.The council was considering a call for Israel to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza freely.
War of words
Tuesday's day-long council debate had been requested by Arab and Islamic states amid a growing international outcry at what the European Union termed the "collective punishment" of Gaza's 1.5m residents.Tuesday's day-long council debate had been requested by Arab and Islamic states amid a growing international outcry at what the European Union termed the "collective punishment" of Gaza's 1.5m residents.
Palestinian UN observer Riyad Mansour said the council "must demand that Israel, the occupying power, immediately cease its collective punishment of the Palestinian people".
But Israeli representative Gilad Cohen denied that Israel was violating international law.But Israeli representative Gilad Cohen denied that Israel was violating international law.
"It is the duty of all states to ensure the right to life and safety of its people, especially from vicious acts of violence and terrorism," he said, adding that Israel would "ensure the humanitarian welfare" of Gaza."It is the duty of all states to ensure the right to life and safety of its people, especially from vicious acts of violence and terrorism," he said, adding that Israel would "ensure the humanitarian welfare" of Gaza.
Israel tightened its blockade last week in response to rocket attacks from Gaza, and the UN had warned that food aid to about 860,000 Gazans could be halted within days as a result.