Palestinian pilgrims broke windows and set mattresses ablaze at temporary camps in Egypt Monday as relatives rallied across the border in Gaza, demanding their kin be allowed to return through a crossing controlled by Hamas. The pilgrims, who are returning from the hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia and include some Hamas militants, have rejected Egypt's demands that they enter Gaza through the Israeli-controlled Aouja border crossing. They want to return through Rafah, a direct crossing between Gaza and Egypt where Israel has no control.
The standoff is the latest conflict over efforts by Egypt, Israel and the Palestinian Authority to isolate the Gaza Strip, which Hamas took over in June. Israel fears that if the pilgrims return through Rafah, Hamas members and smuggled cash could slip through. Thousands of Hamas supporters and relatives of the pilgrims gathered at the Gaza-Egypt border in support of their family members. Youngsters threw stones at Egyptian soldiers on the other side, while other protesters chanted, "Open the borders, we want our families back!"
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said the pilgrims' case "should be resolved immediately" and appealed to Egypt to let them through the Rafah terminal. Most of the pilgrims are believed to be ordinary citizens, but there are at least 10 well-known Hamas figures among them. |