19 sept 2013
Students and patients seeking medical treatment outside Gaza are among those affected by Egypt’s closure policy
Malaka Mohammed has her luggage packed and is ready to leave at any moment. Yet the 23-year-old does not know when she will be able to take up her place in Britain’s Sheffield University. The closure of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt has left her stranded.
Because of the uncertainty, Mohammed says she spends “most of my time leaning on my laptop,” waiting to hear if the crossing has been reopened.
Obtaining a scholarship in Sheffield was a lengthy process. Mohammed made contact with the university’s students’ union on the Internet. The union was supportive of her efforts and after a number of months, her scholarship was approved by the academic authorities.
Once she makes it to the northern English city, she will begin studying for a master’s degree in international politics and law.
Mohammed’s parents have encouraged her to continue her studies, now that she has graduated in English literature from the Islamic University of Gaza.
“My father has been pushing me towards pursuing my education,” she said. “I am so grateful to my father for the confidence he has put in me, encouraging me to go abroad. You know here it is a conservative society, but my father has been so open-minded and has never objected. He is now so concerned, maybe more than myself, about the reopening of Rafah crossing.”
Activist Mohammed is no stranger to political activism. Over the past few years, she has helped the campaign for a boycott of Israeli goods to grow within Gaza and has organized protests in solidarity with hunger strikes by Palestinian political prisoners.
Understandably, the main focus of her activism lately has been to have Rafah reopened.
She is one of many students planning to take part in a 25-kilometer march from Gaza City, where she lives, to Rafah in the near future. Some activists have also set a goal of collecting 100,000 signatures urging Egypt to reopen the crossing.
The United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has stated that only a small number of Gaza residents have been allowed to cross into Egypt, after its authorities closed the Rafah crossing following the coup which took place in Cairo during July. OCHA has estimated that an average of 150 persons [PDF] crossed into Egypt via Rafah per day in the first week of this month. This was just 15 percent the number of people allowed to enter Egypt in June.
“Ridiculous pretext” Patients requiring medical treatment in Egypt that they cannot receive in Gaza have also been affected by the closure. The health ministry in Gaza has stated that thousands of people have been blocked from going to Egypt for treatment.
Medical staff have reportedly been denied permission to enter Gaza from Egypt, too. The staff had intended to provide specialized treatment and train local staff (“Egyptian border restrictions create misery in Gaza,” IRIN, 17 September 2013).
Mahmoud al-Ajramy, a professor at the Palestine University in Gaza, argued that the residents of Gaza are being collectively punished for events in Egypt. Collective punishment is illegal under international law.
“The Egyptian officials did not produce a single piece of evidence against the Palestinian people,” he said. “For example, when they claimed that body guards of Muhammad Morsi [the ousted president], were members of the Palestinian Hamas party, this was a ridiculous pretext to use against the Palestinian resistance. These claims can never be believed.”
Although it might be some time before she can leave the Strip, Malaka Mohammad has no intention of abandoning her plans.
“I am still hoping that our Egyptian brothers will respond to our legitimate, simple demand for travel,” she said. “While Israel is still imposing a blockade on Gaza, we look to our Arab brothers to help us and to relieve us.”
Rami Almeghari is a journalist and university lecturer based in the Gaza Strip.
Malaka Mohammed has her luggage packed and is ready to leave at any moment. Yet the 23-year-old does not know when she will be able to take up her place in Britain’s Sheffield University. The closure of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt has left her stranded.
Because of the uncertainty, Mohammed says she spends “most of my time leaning on my laptop,” waiting to hear if the crossing has been reopened.
Obtaining a scholarship in Sheffield was a lengthy process. Mohammed made contact with the university’s students’ union on the Internet. The union was supportive of her efforts and after a number of months, her scholarship was approved by the academic authorities.
Once she makes it to the northern English city, she will begin studying for a master’s degree in international politics and law.
Mohammed’s parents have encouraged her to continue her studies, now that she has graduated in English literature from the Islamic University of Gaza.
“My father has been pushing me towards pursuing my education,” she said. “I am so grateful to my father for the confidence he has put in me, encouraging me to go abroad. You know here it is a conservative society, but my father has been so open-minded and has never objected. He is now so concerned, maybe more than myself, about the reopening of Rafah crossing.”
Activist Mohammed is no stranger to political activism. Over the past few years, she has helped the campaign for a boycott of Israeli goods to grow within Gaza and has organized protests in solidarity with hunger strikes by Palestinian political prisoners.
Understandably, the main focus of her activism lately has been to have Rafah reopened.
She is one of many students planning to take part in a 25-kilometer march from Gaza City, where she lives, to Rafah in the near future. Some activists have also set a goal of collecting 100,000 signatures urging Egypt to reopen the crossing.
The United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has stated that only a small number of Gaza residents have been allowed to cross into Egypt, after its authorities closed the Rafah crossing following the coup which took place in Cairo during July. OCHA has estimated that an average of 150 persons [PDF] crossed into Egypt via Rafah per day in the first week of this month. This was just 15 percent the number of people allowed to enter Egypt in June.
“Ridiculous pretext” Patients requiring medical treatment in Egypt that they cannot receive in Gaza have also been affected by the closure. The health ministry in Gaza has stated that thousands of people have been blocked from going to Egypt for treatment.
Medical staff have reportedly been denied permission to enter Gaza from Egypt, too. The staff had intended to provide specialized treatment and train local staff (“Egyptian border restrictions create misery in Gaza,” IRIN, 17 September 2013).
Mahmoud al-Ajramy, a professor at the Palestine University in Gaza, argued that the residents of Gaza are being collectively punished for events in Egypt. Collective punishment is illegal under international law.
“The Egyptian officials did not produce a single piece of evidence against the Palestinian people,” he said. “For example, when they claimed that body guards of Muhammad Morsi [the ousted president], were members of the Palestinian Hamas party, this was a ridiculous pretext to use against the Palestinian resistance. These claims can never be believed.”
Although it might be some time before she can leave the Strip, Malaka Mohammad has no intention of abandoning her plans.
“I am still hoping that our Egyptian brothers will respond to our legitimate, simple demand for travel,” she said. “While Israel is still imposing a blockade on Gaza, we look to our Arab brothers to help us and to relieve us.”
Rami Almeghari is a journalist and university lecturer based in the Gaza Strip.
Egyptian authorities said Thursday that they will allow Hajj pilgrims from the Gaza Strip to travel via Cairo airport at the beginning of next October, the PA minister of endowments said.
Religious affairs minister Mahmoud Habbash said that pilgrims from Gaza would travel through Rafah crossing at the beginning of next October.
The Palestinian side agreed with the Egyptian side to allow Hajj pilgrims from the Gaza Strip to travel via Cairo airport on Oct. 2.
Religious affairs minister Mahmoud Habbash said that pilgrims from Gaza would travel through Rafah crossing at the beginning of next October.
The Palestinian side agreed with the Egyptian side to allow Hajj pilgrims from the Gaza Strip to travel via Cairo airport on Oct. 2.
Ahmed Bahar, during a ceremony held by the Ministry of Religious Affairs
The Acting President of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Ahmed Bahar called on the Egyptian authorities to lift the imposed restrictions on the people of Gaza and re-open Refah crossing. The interim government of Egypt has increasingly allied itself with Israel in strategy and actions. The Washington Post reported, “with Egypt’s military-backed interim government shutting down the tunnels and largely closing its own pedestrian crossing at Rafah, Gaza is increasingly shut off from the world”.
He said in a ceremony held by the ministry of Religious Affairs in Gaza on Thursday that the Palestinian government will never ever wave up the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people , denouncing Israel frequent attacks against Al-Aqsa mosque.
He disapproved the ongoing peace talks between the PLO and Israel describing it as " futile".
The Acting President of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Ahmed Bahar called on the Egyptian authorities to lift the imposed restrictions on the people of Gaza and re-open Refah crossing. The interim government of Egypt has increasingly allied itself with Israel in strategy and actions. The Washington Post reported, “with Egypt’s military-backed interim government shutting down the tunnels and largely closing its own pedestrian crossing at Rafah, Gaza is increasingly shut off from the world”.
He said in a ceremony held by the ministry of Religious Affairs in Gaza on Thursday that the Palestinian government will never ever wave up the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people , denouncing Israel frequent attacks against Al-Aqsa mosque.
He disapproved the ongoing peace talks between the PLO and Israel describing it as " futile".
Egyptian sources have reported that an Egyptian military court sentenced on Wednesday [September 18, 2013] five Palestinian fishermen to one year imprisonment after “convicting” them of violating Egyptian territorial waters.
The Anadolu Turkish news agency stated that the five fishermen accidentally crossed into Egyptian waters while fishing.
Palestinian fishermen in Gaza stated that the Egyptian Navy escalated its attacks and violations against them, and repeatedly chased their boats even in Palestinian territorial water, and up to the shore.
They added that the Egyptian navy also repeatedly fires rounds of live ammunition at their boats, in addition to violently beating them before their arrest.
Egyptian navy attacks against Gaza fishermen are taking place amidst ongoing and escalating Israeli military assaults against them leading to dozens of arrests, casualties and excessive property damage.
The Anadolu Turkish news agency stated that the five fishermen accidentally crossed into Egyptian waters while fishing.
Palestinian fishermen in Gaza stated that the Egyptian Navy escalated its attacks and violations against them, and repeatedly chased their boats even in Palestinian territorial water, and up to the shore.
They added that the Egyptian navy also repeatedly fires rounds of live ammunition at their boats, in addition to violently beating them before their arrest.
Egyptian navy attacks against Gaza fishermen are taking place amidst ongoing and escalating Israeli military assaults against them leading to dozens of arrests, casualties and excessive property damage.
18 sept 2013
Former Egyptian Electricity Minister Osama Kamal, accused Hamas officials in Gaza of cooperating with Muslim Brotherhood officials in Egypt to operate the smuggling tunnels
Former Egyptian Electricity Minister Osama Kamal has appeared happy on a local Egyptian television network, rejoicing: "We succeeded in closing the only electricity plant in Gaza."
Speaking to a talk show on Egyptian Al-Hayat TV, Kamal attributed the news to "the great [and] successful efforts of the Egyptian army in Sinai."
He said that the Egyptian army could only stop the smuggling of Egyptian diesel and gasoline to the Gaza Strip after "strictly closing the tunnels."
The former minister said that the electricity plant in Gaza consumes about two million litres of diesel and gasoline each month, but clarified that most of that quantity used to be smuggled in from Egypt. "We could stop it three days ago," he said.
He accused Hamas officials in Gaza of cooperating with Muslim Brotherhood officials in Egypt to operate the smuggling tunnels. He accused Muslim Brotherhood officials in Egypt of holding "sensitive" positions in the government that helped them facilitate smuggling to Gaza.
Hamas banned the smugglers who run the tunnels before the siege was tightened. Later on they were allowed to smuggle food, fuel, medicines and other vital commodities.
The Palestinian government in Gaza, run by Hamas since 2007, has been calling upon regional and international bodies to put pressure on Israel to lift the siege so that it can put sanctions on smuggling activities.
Former Egyptian Electricity Minister Osama Kamal has appeared happy on a local Egyptian television network, rejoicing: "We succeeded in closing the only electricity plant in Gaza."
Speaking to a talk show on Egyptian Al-Hayat TV, Kamal attributed the news to "the great [and] successful efforts of the Egyptian army in Sinai."
He said that the Egyptian army could only stop the smuggling of Egyptian diesel and gasoline to the Gaza Strip after "strictly closing the tunnels."
The former minister said that the electricity plant in Gaza consumes about two million litres of diesel and gasoline each month, but clarified that most of that quantity used to be smuggled in from Egypt. "We could stop it three days ago," he said.
He accused Hamas officials in Gaza of cooperating with Muslim Brotherhood officials in Egypt to operate the smuggling tunnels. He accused Muslim Brotherhood officials in Egypt of holding "sensitive" positions in the government that helped them facilitate smuggling to Gaza.
Hamas banned the smugglers who run the tunnels before the siege was tightened. Later on they were allowed to smuggle food, fuel, medicines and other vital commodities.
The Palestinian government in Gaza, run by Hamas since 2007, has been calling upon regional and international bodies to put pressure on Israel to lift the siege so that it can put sanctions on smuggling activities.
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haneyya, stressed that his government wants to maintain good relations with the Egyptian authorities and to continue cooperation to protect the common security. Haneyya said during a tour in Rafah on Wednesday that his government did not and will not interfere in the affairs of Egypt, and called on the Egyptian media to stop incitement against Hamas.
He reiterated his movement's rejection of the resettlement of Palestinians in the Sinai Peninsula, and denied the existence of a deal to sell the Sinai to Hamas.
Regarding allegations by some Egyptian media about attempts to bomb an Egyptian site, Haneyya said that all the Palestinian factions have strongly denied any involvement in this matter.
Gaza Premier called for opening the Rafah border crossing before the people and goods, in order to put an end to the suffering of the residents of the Strip.
For his part, Maher Abu Sabha, director of the department of the crossings and borders in the Ministry of Interior, told PIC that the Egyptian authorities on Wednesday morning allowed three buses to cross the Rafah crossing.
The Egyptian authorities have been closing the Rafah crossing for the past six days as a result of the ongoing events in the Egyptian side and the security campaign in the Sinai.
He reiterated his movement's rejection of the resettlement of Palestinians in the Sinai Peninsula, and denied the existence of a deal to sell the Sinai to Hamas.
Regarding allegations by some Egyptian media about attempts to bomb an Egyptian site, Haneyya said that all the Palestinian factions have strongly denied any involvement in this matter.
Gaza Premier called for opening the Rafah border crossing before the people and goods, in order to put an end to the suffering of the residents of the Strip.
For his part, Maher Abu Sabha, director of the department of the crossings and borders in the Ministry of Interior, told PIC that the Egyptian authorities on Wednesday morning allowed three buses to cross the Rafah crossing.
The Egyptian authorities have been closing the Rafah crossing for the past six days as a result of the ongoing events in the Egyptian side and the security campaign in the Sinai.
A Palestinian tunnel worker sleeps at the entrance to a smuggling tunnel in Gaza.
Residents and officials in Gaza say the repeated closures of the border crossing into Egypt, a key lifeline for Palestinians in the occupied territories, is destroying livelihoods, harming health and lowering basic living conditions.
The border crossing at Rafah has now been closed for seven consecutive days - the second sustained closure in the past few weeks - following instability in the Sinai region on the Egyptian side of the border.
A reopening is promised tomorrow, Wednesday, but the closures, reduced operating hours and the crackdown on smuggling tunnels are squeezing the country's most important supply line.
Among those who have tried to leave Gaza over the past few weeks is Mona Hussien, 34, and her four children, who normally live in Saudi Arabia.
"I've been to the crossing about five times now (in less than two weeks). My children are tired and so am I. We have school coming. It's our residency at stake; we have to go," she told IRIN.
She came to spend the summer with relatives in Gaza, but has grown increasingly desperate to re-join her husband.
"When are we going to go back to normal? How we can live like other people while we are facing such restrictions, closures and (the) blockade?"
'Stranded'
The Rafah crossing has been the principal connection between Gaza's 1.8 million residents and the outside world since the destruction of Gaza's international airport in 2001 and the subsequent air and naval blockade.
Last week's decision to close the border was taken by the Egyptian authorities following an attack by militants on a military base in northern Sinai.
"Thousands are trying to leave and enter every day," said Gaza resident Yehia Barrawi, 62. "Even with the announced temporary reopening, many will still be blocked, and we no longer feel the crossing is stable."
The situation has deteriorated since late June, when demonstrations erupted in Egypt, culminating in the removal of president Mohamed Morsi in early July. The Egyptian army initiated a campaign against armed militants and extremist groups operating in the Sinai, which media close to the new government have linked to the Hamas movement, which controls neighboring Gaza.
Even when the crossing has been open, hours have been reduced from nine to four and from seven days to six.
In the week before these recent closures, from 3 to 9 September, UN figures show at least 150 people crossed into Egypt and around 130 others crossed into Gaza per day. Together, this is just 15 percent of the average number of people crossing per day in June (approximately 1,860).
The other two crossings - into Israel - at Kerem Shalom and Erez have severe restrictions on the movement of people and goods.
Yehia has been repeatedly prevented from crossing the border. He's recovering from heart surgery in Gaza and says he now risks losing his work and residency permits in the United Arab Emirates because of the delays. "I came to Gaza with my wife and daughter six months ago. Everything was fine. However it changed after the recent developments. Now, I'm stranded," he said.
Restrictions and concerns
Gaza's health minister, Mofeed Mukhalalati, says there are thousands of patients waiting to leave for medical treatment in Egypt.
Several medical delegations planning to treat patients and train local health ministry staff were denied permission to enter Gaza.
Alaa, 26, who requires knee surgery after sustaining an injury in a football game three months ago, says he has tried several times to leave through the crossing, but despite having all the supporting documents, he was denied entry by Egyptian authorities.
Alaa told IRIN that he found it shocking because he had traveled to Egypt a few months before, and had entered the country and returned without any problems.
There are ongoing efforts to find a possible way to permanently reopen the crossing, according to officials in Gaza. Meanwhile, a handful of Palestinians are clustered at the crossing gate, urging an immediate reopening.
"The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is very concerned about recent security measures and restrictions on the Rafah crossing and tunnels between Egypt and the Gaza Strip," said the UN Secretary-General's spokesperson, Farhan Haq, earlier this month.
"The restrictions have resulted in delays for students and patients seeking urgent medical treatment, and shortages of construction materials, fuel and medical supplies. Thousands of Palestinians are stranded on both sides of the border."
On 16 September, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas asked the Egyptians to reopen the crossing to allow people and patients to leave and to let people stranded in Egypt enter Gaza.
Egyptian officials responded hours later by announcing that the crossing will be temporarily opened on Wednesday and Thursday, 18 and 19 September, for humanitarian reasons. There are no indications or announcements about any later openings.
Shortages and inflation
The closures, along with the large-scale destruction of smuggling tunnels that were a major supply route into Gaza, are leading to shortages and higher prices for basic goods.
OCHA estimates that fewer than 10 tunnels are operational, down from 50 in previous weeks and 300 before June.
Gaza depends on supplies of cheap Egyptian fuel to run its main power station. With daily fuel imports down to 200,000 litres, from one million, Gaza is suffering long hours of blackouts.
Residents and officials in Gaza say the repeated closures of the border crossing into Egypt, a key lifeline for Palestinians in the occupied territories, is destroying livelihoods, harming health and lowering basic living conditions.
The border crossing at Rafah has now been closed for seven consecutive days - the second sustained closure in the past few weeks - following instability in the Sinai region on the Egyptian side of the border.
A reopening is promised tomorrow, Wednesday, but the closures, reduced operating hours and the crackdown on smuggling tunnels are squeezing the country's most important supply line.
Among those who have tried to leave Gaza over the past few weeks is Mona Hussien, 34, and her four children, who normally live in Saudi Arabia.
"I've been to the crossing about five times now (in less than two weeks). My children are tired and so am I. We have school coming. It's our residency at stake; we have to go," she told IRIN.
She came to spend the summer with relatives in Gaza, but has grown increasingly desperate to re-join her husband.
"When are we going to go back to normal? How we can live like other people while we are facing such restrictions, closures and (the) blockade?"
'Stranded'
The Rafah crossing has been the principal connection between Gaza's 1.8 million residents and the outside world since the destruction of Gaza's international airport in 2001 and the subsequent air and naval blockade.
Last week's decision to close the border was taken by the Egyptian authorities following an attack by militants on a military base in northern Sinai.
"Thousands are trying to leave and enter every day," said Gaza resident Yehia Barrawi, 62. "Even with the announced temporary reopening, many will still be blocked, and we no longer feel the crossing is stable."
The situation has deteriorated since late June, when demonstrations erupted in Egypt, culminating in the removal of president Mohamed Morsi in early July. The Egyptian army initiated a campaign against armed militants and extremist groups operating in the Sinai, which media close to the new government have linked to the Hamas movement, which controls neighboring Gaza.
Even when the crossing has been open, hours have been reduced from nine to four and from seven days to six.
In the week before these recent closures, from 3 to 9 September, UN figures show at least 150 people crossed into Egypt and around 130 others crossed into Gaza per day. Together, this is just 15 percent of the average number of people crossing per day in June (approximately 1,860).
The other two crossings - into Israel - at Kerem Shalom and Erez have severe restrictions on the movement of people and goods.
Yehia has been repeatedly prevented from crossing the border. He's recovering from heart surgery in Gaza and says he now risks losing his work and residency permits in the United Arab Emirates because of the delays. "I came to Gaza with my wife and daughter six months ago. Everything was fine. However it changed after the recent developments. Now, I'm stranded," he said.
Restrictions and concerns
Gaza's health minister, Mofeed Mukhalalati, says there are thousands of patients waiting to leave for medical treatment in Egypt.
Several medical delegations planning to treat patients and train local health ministry staff were denied permission to enter Gaza.
Alaa, 26, who requires knee surgery after sustaining an injury in a football game three months ago, says he has tried several times to leave through the crossing, but despite having all the supporting documents, he was denied entry by Egyptian authorities.
Alaa told IRIN that he found it shocking because he had traveled to Egypt a few months before, and had entered the country and returned without any problems.
There are ongoing efforts to find a possible way to permanently reopen the crossing, according to officials in Gaza. Meanwhile, a handful of Palestinians are clustered at the crossing gate, urging an immediate reopening.
"The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is very concerned about recent security measures and restrictions on the Rafah crossing and tunnels between Egypt and the Gaza Strip," said the UN Secretary-General's spokesperson, Farhan Haq, earlier this month.
"The restrictions have resulted in delays for students and patients seeking urgent medical treatment, and shortages of construction materials, fuel and medical supplies. Thousands of Palestinians are stranded on both sides of the border."
On 16 September, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas asked the Egyptians to reopen the crossing to allow people and patients to leave and to let people stranded in Egypt enter Gaza.
Egyptian officials responded hours later by announcing that the crossing will be temporarily opened on Wednesday and Thursday, 18 and 19 September, for humanitarian reasons. There are no indications or announcements about any later openings.
Shortages and inflation
The closures, along with the large-scale destruction of smuggling tunnels that were a major supply route into Gaza, are leading to shortages and higher prices for basic goods.
OCHA estimates that fewer than 10 tunnels are operational, down from 50 in previous weeks and 300 before June.
Gaza depends on supplies of cheap Egyptian fuel to run its main power station. With daily fuel imports down to 200,000 litres, from one million, Gaza is suffering long hours of blackouts.
17 sept 2013
Wastewater treatment plant in Rafah
After the running out of fuel supplies, the Minister of local government in Gaza Mohammed Al -Farra announced on Monday evening that the wastewater treatment plant stopped functioning and the municipalities are going to pump the sewage water into the sea .
Al-Farra said on a statement that all Gaza municipalities will stop functioning next Thursday because of the lack of fuel.
Egypt's interim government ordered the military to cave in all the lifeline tunnels between Egypt and the besieged Gaza which cause severe shortage of fuel.
Pumping the untreated wastewater into the sea will pollute not only the marine environment of Gaza but also the Mediterranean Sea , Al-Farra warned of an environmental disaster.
He called on the International and Human Rights organizations to increase pressure on Israel in order to lift the siege on Gaza and allow the access of necessary basic needs of besieged people in Gaza.
Since the ouster of Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi in a military coup in July, the army has increased the destruction of the tunnels on the Egyptian side of the border with Gaza on the pretext of "fighting against terrorism". The tunnels have served as a lifeline to the besieged people of Gaza and their destruction has caused shortages of fuel and other essential goods. Gaza is now completely dependent on the limited amount of fuel allowed to enter by Israel.
After the running out of fuel supplies, the Minister of local government in Gaza Mohammed Al -Farra announced on Monday evening that the wastewater treatment plant stopped functioning and the municipalities are going to pump the sewage water into the sea .
Al-Farra said on a statement that all Gaza municipalities will stop functioning next Thursday because of the lack of fuel.
Egypt's interim government ordered the military to cave in all the lifeline tunnels between Egypt and the besieged Gaza which cause severe shortage of fuel.
Pumping the untreated wastewater into the sea will pollute not only the marine environment of Gaza but also the Mediterranean Sea , Al-Farra warned of an environmental disaster.
He called on the International and Human Rights organizations to increase pressure on Israel in order to lift the siege on Gaza and allow the access of necessary basic needs of besieged people in Gaza.
Since the ouster of Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi in a military coup in July, the army has increased the destruction of the tunnels on the Egyptian side of the border with Gaza on the pretext of "fighting against terrorism". The tunnels have served as a lifeline to the besieged people of Gaza and their destruction has caused shortages of fuel and other essential goods. Gaza is now completely dependent on the limited amount of fuel allowed to enter by Israel.
Arab Organization for Human Rights in the UK (AOHR) strongly condemned the Egyptian army spokesman's statement about the operations that the army is carrying out in Sinai Peninsula. It noted that the army claimed weapons were found stamped with the name of the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas.
The organization said that the statement, coupled with the video showing only one hand grenade stamped with the sign of Qassam Brigades, was a serious attempt to involve the Gaza Strip in the Sinai events.
It was better for the army to cooperate with the authorities in Gaza to know the truth similar to what was happening in the past, the statement added.
AOHR said that Egypt’s charges against Gaza of involvement in the crimes in Sinai were the price demanded by Israel in return for supporting the coup led by Egyptian defense minister Abdulfattah Al-Sisi.
The human rights organization described operations of the Egyptian army in Sinai, including arbitrary killing and detention and destroying homes and places of worship, as unjustified crimes.
AOHR called upon the UN Secretary General to demand an end to the crimes in Sinai and to pressure the Egyptian authorities to stop media campaigns against the Gaza Strip and to work on lifting the siege and allowing the entry of food, medicine and fuel into the besieged enclave.
Meanwhile, Friends of Humanity International asked the Egyptian authorities to lift the siege on Gaza Strip and to open the Rafah crossing permanently to allow free movement of people.
Palestinians in Gaza Strip have been suffering from the Israeli siege along 91 months where thousands including students are still stranded and prevented from traveling to and from Gaza, the organization said, pointing to the Strip's dire need of fuel, food and medical supplies.
In its letter to the Supreme Council of the Egyptian Armed Forces, Friends of Humanity Int'l expressed conviction in the Egyptian people's desire to lift the unfair siege on the Strip that was recently tightened by the Egyptian authorities after the closure of Rafah border crossing.
The organization called on the Egyptian authorities not to participate in tightening the “oppressive” siege on Gaza and to bear their historical responsibilities before the people of Gaza who have been under Egyptian administration until 1967.
Friends of Humanity also urged the Egyptian authorities to stop targeting homes along the Egyptian border with Gaza and to work on establishing a free trade zone between the two countries to meet the needs of the besieged people since 2006.
The organization said that the statement, coupled with the video showing only one hand grenade stamped with the sign of Qassam Brigades, was a serious attempt to involve the Gaza Strip in the Sinai events.
It was better for the army to cooperate with the authorities in Gaza to know the truth similar to what was happening in the past, the statement added.
AOHR said that Egypt’s charges against Gaza of involvement in the crimes in Sinai were the price demanded by Israel in return for supporting the coup led by Egyptian defense minister Abdulfattah Al-Sisi.
The human rights organization described operations of the Egyptian army in Sinai, including arbitrary killing and detention and destroying homes and places of worship, as unjustified crimes.
AOHR called upon the UN Secretary General to demand an end to the crimes in Sinai and to pressure the Egyptian authorities to stop media campaigns against the Gaza Strip and to work on lifting the siege and allowing the entry of food, medicine and fuel into the besieged enclave.
Meanwhile, Friends of Humanity International asked the Egyptian authorities to lift the siege on Gaza Strip and to open the Rafah crossing permanently to allow free movement of people.
Palestinians in Gaza Strip have been suffering from the Israeli siege along 91 months where thousands including students are still stranded and prevented from traveling to and from Gaza, the organization said, pointing to the Strip's dire need of fuel, food and medical supplies.
In its letter to the Supreme Council of the Egyptian Armed Forces, Friends of Humanity Int'l expressed conviction in the Egyptian people's desire to lift the unfair siege on the Strip that was recently tightened by the Egyptian authorities after the closure of Rafah border crossing.
The organization called on the Egyptian authorities not to participate in tightening the “oppressive” siege on Gaza and to bear their historical responsibilities before the people of Gaza who have been under Egyptian administration until 1967.
Friends of Humanity also urged the Egyptian authorities to stop targeting homes along the Egyptian border with Gaza and to work on establishing a free trade zone between the two countries to meet the needs of the besieged people since 2006.
The Egyptian authorities said it would open the Rafah border crossing from its side on Wednesday and Thursday for six hours for the travel of certain passengers. Director of crossings and borders affairs in Gaza Maher Abu Sabha told the Palestinian information center (PIC) on Monday that the Egyptian authorities told the Palestinian side about its decision in this regard, noting that the passengers would travel according to the Palestinian interior ministry's records.
Abu Sabha added that the Egyptian authorities would allow only university students, holders of residence permits and foreign passports, and patients to enter its territory during these days.
The Egyptian authorities have been opening the crossing on a partial basis since early July following the military coup against Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi.
This new Egyptian policy has led to an increase in the number of stranded passengers on both sides of the crossing
Abu Sabha added that the Egyptian authorities would allow only university students, holders of residence permits and foreign passports, and patients to enter its territory during these days.
The Egyptian authorities have been opening the crossing on a partial basis since early July following the military coup against Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi.
This new Egyptian policy has led to an increase in the number of stranded passengers on both sides of the crossing
16 sept 2013
Dozens of Gaza students staged a sit-in at the Rafah border crossing with Egypt on Monday demanding opening the terminal in order to allow them to join their universities. The Egyptian authorities have been closing the Rafah border terminal since last Wednesday, which exacerbated the suffering of the besieged Palestinians in the Strip especially the sick and the students.
Participants in the sit-in hoisted Palestinian and Egyptian flags along with posters demanding an end to the Gaza blockade and opening the Rafah crossing.
Mumen Baroud, a student, delivered a speech on behalf of the students asking the Arab and Islamic countries and free people of the world to intervene and break the “oppressive” siege on Gaza that has been in force for the past seven years.
Other citizens, whose residence permits and airplane tickets are about to expire, took part in the sit-in.
The Egyptian authorities have been opening the crossing on partial basis since early July after the ouster of Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi, leading to an increase in number of stranded travelers that amounted to thousands.
Participants in the sit-in hoisted Palestinian and Egyptian flags along with posters demanding an end to the Gaza blockade and opening the Rafah crossing.
Mumen Baroud, a student, delivered a speech on behalf of the students asking the Arab and Islamic countries and free people of the world to intervene and break the “oppressive” siege on Gaza that has been in force for the past seven years.
Other citizens, whose residence permits and airplane tickets are about to expire, took part in the sit-in.
The Egyptian authorities have been opening the crossing on partial basis since early July after the ouster of Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi, leading to an increase in number of stranded travelers that amounted to thousands.
Gaza government called for a joint security mechanism with Egypt to control the border area, stressing that Hamas has no benefit in interfering in the Egyptian internal affairs. The government condemned the continued incitement against the besieged Strip without any justification.
Ihab Ghussein, the government spokesman and the head of the government media office, said in a press conference on Sunday that the Egyptian people have been always supportive of the Palestinian people, noting that there is a systematic plan to target the Palestinian resistance.
He categorically denied the Egyptian official and unofficial charges against Hamas movement of being involved in military operations in Egypt. He also condemned the growing campaign of incitement against Gaza in coincidence with the demolition of tunnels and continued siege.
He expressed deep concern over the arrest of five Palestinian fishermen by Egyptian navy off Gaza coast, calling for their release. He pointed out in this respect to the continued Egyptian violations against the besieged Strip.
The government called for opening the Rafah crossing, stressing the need to turn it into a commercial crossing or to create a free trade zone on the border between Gaza and Egypt, in a bid to remove tensions in the area.
Concerning Qassam bombs, he denied the movement's involvement in any military action in Egypt, adding that the bombs were smuggled into Egypt by Fatah movement.
Meanwhile, the Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing, stated that its weapon is made to fight “Israeli terrorism”.
“Who considers the Palestinian resistance as an enemy is a traitor to the (Arab) Nation”, Abu Obeida, the Qassam spokesman said in his Tweeter personal account.
He added that the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and resistance had restrained the Israeli project.
The brigades' military parade and exercises, carried out in the Gaza Strip, are a message to the Israeli occupation, he said.
For his part, Ismail el-Iskandarani, a researcher at the Egyptian Center for Social and Economic rights who writes extensively about Sinai, opined that what is going on in Sinai Peninsula only serves the Israeli occupation who always praises the Egyptian military restrictions on the border between the Strip and Egypt.
The Egyptian military authorities had committed a heinous crime by killing four Egyptian children as a result of the random shelling of houses in Sheikh Zowayed City, he added.
The random shelling of houses and mosques in Sinai would increase the state of tension among Sinai tribes, he stressed.
Ihab Ghussein, the government spokesman and the head of the government media office, said in a press conference on Sunday that the Egyptian people have been always supportive of the Palestinian people, noting that there is a systematic plan to target the Palestinian resistance.
He categorically denied the Egyptian official and unofficial charges against Hamas movement of being involved in military operations in Egypt. He also condemned the growing campaign of incitement against Gaza in coincidence with the demolition of tunnels and continued siege.
He expressed deep concern over the arrest of five Palestinian fishermen by Egyptian navy off Gaza coast, calling for their release. He pointed out in this respect to the continued Egyptian violations against the besieged Strip.
The government called for opening the Rafah crossing, stressing the need to turn it into a commercial crossing or to create a free trade zone on the border between Gaza and Egypt, in a bid to remove tensions in the area.
Concerning Qassam bombs, he denied the movement's involvement in any military action in Egypt, adding that the bombs were smuggled into Egypt by Fatah movement.
Meanwhile, the Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing, stated that its weapon is made to fight “Israeli terrorism”.
“Who considers the Palestinian resistance as an enemy is a traitor to the (Arab) Nation”, Abu Obeida, the Qassam spokesman said in his Tweeter personal account.
He added that the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and resistance had restrained the Israeli project.
The brigades' military parade and exercises, carried out in the Gaza Strip, are a message to the Israeli occupation, he said.
For his part, Ismail el-Iskandarani, a researcher at the Egyptian Center for Social and Economic rights who writes extensively about Sinai, opined that what is going on in Sinai Peninsula only serves the Israeli occupation who always praises the Egyptian military restrictions on the border between the Strip and Egypt.
The Egyptian military authorities had committed a heinous crime by killing four Egyptian children as a result of the random shelling of houses in Sheikh Zowayed City, he added.
The random shelling of houses and mosques in Sinai would increase the state of tension among Sinai tribes, he stressed.
Maher Abu Sabha, the director general of borders and crossings, said that 4,500 Palestinians were stranded at the Rafah border crossing after its closure for six consecutive days by the Egyptian authorities. He told Al-Rai government news agency on Monday that all those passengers were sick people, students, and holders of foreign passports.
He said that the interior ministry closed registration for those with foreign residency permits and sick people wishing to travel on their own cost. He said that if registration was opened for those categories then the number of stranded people would jump by thousands.
Abu Sabha said that his department contacted the Egyptian authorities on Sunday regarding the opening of the crossing but it received the same answer that the situation did not change and the crossing would remain closed.
The director urged the Egyptian authorities to hasten and open the crossing in view of the growing number of sick people wishing to travel abroad for treatment, warning of a humanitarian disaster in Gaza if the crossing remained closed.
The Egyptian authorities closed the crossing last Wednesday after a bomb attack on the headquarters of the Egyptian military intelligence in Sinai last Wednesday.
Traffic on the crossing was noticeably slow since 3rd July after the ouster of the Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi with only limited numbers of passengers allowed access.
He said that the interior ministry closed registration for those with foreign residency permits and sick people wishing to travel on their own cost. He said that if registration was opened for those categories then the number of stranded people would jump by thousands.
Abu Sabha said that his department contacted the Egyptian authorities on Sunday regarding the opening of the crossing but it received the same answer that the situation did not change and the crossing would remain closed.
The director urged the Egyptian authorities to hasten and open the crossing in view of the growing number of sick people wishing to travel abroad for treatment, warning of a humanitarian disaster in Gaza if the crossing remained closed.
The Egyptian authorities closed the crossing last Wednesday after a bomb attack on the headquarters of the Egyptian military intelligence in Sinai last Wednesday.
Traffic on the crossing was noticeably slow since 3rd July after the ouster of the Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi with only limited numbers of passengers allowed access.
Himaya Center for Human Rights called on the Egyptian authorities to open the Rafah crossing with Gaza Strip and allow Palestinian travelers access through the crossing. The center warned of an increase in the deaths’ rate in the Strip after the deterioration of many patients' health conditions due to shortage of medicines after the closure of Rafah crossing.
The center stated that the Israeli authorities imposed security screening on Palestinian citizens in the besieged Strip who need to travel through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing.
The Egyptian recent events have worsened the situation in Gaza after imposing strict security measures on the sole border crossing of the Strip, the center noted.
Only four categories have been allowed to travel through the Rafah crossing due to the security tensions in Sinai Peninsula, including holders of foreign passports, students, patients, and travelers who hold foreign residency permits.
Five thousand travelers, who are among the four mentioned categories, are still waiting their turn to cross the Rafah terminal, the center said, pointing out that only 50 to 250 travelers are daily allowed to travel through the crossing.
The human rights center called on the Israeli authorities to open the Strip's crossings and lift its unfair siege and called on the international community and human rights institutions to bear their responsibilities towards the besieged Strip.
The center also called on Egyptian authorities to end the plight of thousands of travelers stranded on the both sides of the crossing.
Egyptian authorities have been closing Rafah border crossing for the sixth day in a row.
The Rafah terminal was closed earlier last week after a car bomb exploded outside Egyptian intelligence headquarters in Sinai that caused a number of casualties.
The interior ministry in the Gaza Strip stated that the Egyptian authorities did not inform them of their intention to re-open the border crossing on Monday.
There have been frequent closures of the terminal in recent weeks due to political unrest in Egypt after the military coup that ousted the first freely-elected Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi.
The center stated that the Israeli authorities imposed security screening on Palestinian citizens in the besieged Strip who need to travel through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing.
The Egyptian recent events have worsened the situation in Gaza after imposing strict security measures on the sole border crossing of the Strip, the center noted.
Only four categories have been allowed to travel through the Rafah crossing due to the security tensions in Sinai Peninsula, including holders of foreign passports, students, patients, and travelers who hold foreign residency permits.
Five thousand travelers, who are among the four mentioned categories, are still waiting their turn to cross the Rafah terminal, the center said, pointing out that only 50 to 250 travelers are daily allowed to travel through the crossing.
The human rights center called on the Israeli authorities to open the Strip's crossings and lift its unfair siege and called on the international community and human rights institutions to bear their responsibilities towards the besieged Strip.
The center also called on Egyptian authorities to end the plight of thousands of travelers stranded on the both sides of the crossing.
Egyptian authorities have been closing Rafah border crossing for the sixth day in a row.
The Rafah terminal was closed earlier last week after a car bomb exploded outside Egyptian intelligence headquarters in Sinai that caused a number of casualties.
The interior ministry in the Gaza Strip stated that the Egyptian authorities did not inform them of their intention to re-open the border crossing on Monday.
There have been frequent closures of the terminal in recent weeks due to political unrest in Egypt after the military coup that ousted the first freely-elected Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi.
Dr. Mousa Abu Marzouk, a political bureau member of Hamas, has denied Egyptian accusations to his movement of involvement in Sinai events. He said on his Facebook page on Monday that Gaza Strip was in need of Egypt and would not do anything that could harm it.
In a statement under the title “To whom it may concern”, Abu Marzouk said no rational person would ever believe that Hamas agreed to sign a calm agreement with Israel under Egyptian auspices to start a battle with Egypt.
“Is there any sane person who believes that Gaza people are hostile to Egypt, which is their sole outlet to the outside world,” he asked.
The Hamas leader refuted claims that Hamas had smuggled weapons into the Sinai Peninsula, affirming that Hamas had no interest in starting a battle with Egypt at any level.
In a statement under the title “To whom it may concern”, Abu Marzouk said no rational person would ever believe that Hamas agreed to sign a calm agreement with Israel under Egyptian auspices to start a battle with Egypt.
“Is there any sane person who believes that Gaza people are hostile to Egypt, which is their sole outlet to the outside world,” he asked.
The Hamas leader refuted claims that Hamas had smuggled weapons into the Sinai Peninsula, affirming that Hamas had no interest in starting a battle with Egypt at any level.
Egyptian authorities have been closing Rafah border crossing for the sixth day in a row, Palestinian Ministry of Interior – Gaza reported. Director of Crossing Authorities, Maher Abu Sabha, said in a statement that in case the crossing opens the ministry will inform Palestinian residents through different media sources and the ministry's website.
Abu Sabha indicated that the Palestinian side presented a proposal to the Egyptian counterpart to solve the problem of dozens of passengers stranded at the Rafah crossing.
Rafah crossing was closed on Aug. 15th after nationwide violence and then partially reopened two days later only to be closed again following an attack in Sinai which killed 25 Egyptian soldiers.
The Rafah terminal was closed earlier last week after a car bomb outside Egyptian intelligence headquarters in Sinai. Rafah crossing is the only outlet for Palestinians in Gaza. Israel imposes a tighten blockade on Gaza by closing its borders with Gaza .
There have been frequent closures of the terminal in recent weeks due to political unrest in Egypt and violence in the Sinai peninsula.
Abu Sabha indicated that the Palestinian side presented a proposal to the Egyptian counterpart to solve the problem of dozens of passengers stranded at the Rafah crossing.
Rafah crossing was closed on Aug. 15th after nationwide violence and then partially reopened two days later only to be closed again following an attack in Sinai which killed 25 Egyptian soldiers.
The Rafah terminal was closed earlier last week after a car bomb outside Egyptian intelligence headquarters in Sinai. Rafah crossing is the only outlet for Palestinians in Gaza. Israel imposes a tighten blockade on Gaza by closing its borders with Gaza .
There have been frequent closures of the terminal in recent weeks due to political unrest in Egypt and violence in the Sinai peninsula.
Intelligence sources have revealed that the US Corps of Engineers has given a $10 million contract to Raytheon Technologies Company to detect the tunnels underneath the Egypt-Palestine border. The tunnels have been used to import essential goods to the besieged Gaza Strip and are now being destroyed by Egypt's coup government, Memo reported.
Cooperation between Egypt and the US Corps of Engineers started in 2007 but the tunnel-detection programme was stopped when President Mohamed Morsi took office. "When Egypt's military regime, which opposes the Hamas-led government in Gaza, ousted Morsi the deal with the Americans was revived," said the sources.
In 2008, they added, the US supplied the Egyptians with equipment worth $23 million to detect the tunnels, including sensors and remote control vehicles, drilling machines and infrared cameras.
Cooperation between Egypt and the US Corps of Engineers started in 2007 but the tunnel-detection programme was stopped when President Mohamed Morsi took office. "When Egypt's military regime, which opposes the Hamas-led government in Gaza, ousted Morsi the deal with the Americans was revived," said the sources.
In 2008, they added, the US supplied the Egyptians with equipment worth $23 million to detect the tunnels, including sensors and remote control vehicles, drilling machines and infrared cameras.
15 sept 2013
The commander of National security forces in Gaza said that the Strip’s borders with Egypt were secured and no breaches were recorded. Jamal Al-Jarrah said in a press release on Sunday that his forces were strictly controlling the borders and preventing any attempt to tamper with Gaza’s security.
Jarrah said that his forces were deployed along the borders and roads leading to it, denying in this respect any Egyptian threats to Gaza.
The commander, however, asked the Egyptian media to keep Gaza away from the events in Egypt. He also asked the Egyptian authorities to re-open the Rafah border crossing and to facilitate the travel of Palestinians.
Jarrah said that his forces were deployed along the borders and roads leading to it, denying in this respect any Egyptian threats to Gaza.
The commander, however, asked the Egyptian media to keep Gaza away from the events in Egypt. He also asked the Egyptian authorities to re-open the Rafah border crossing and to facilitate the travel of Palestinians.
Egypt's crackdown on militants in Sinai continued on Sunday as military forces raided several villages near Rafah.
Egyptian helicopters provided cover for ground troops to raid al-Mahdiyya village south of Rafah and several missiles hit targets in the area.
Military helicopters were seen over the border with Gaza as Egypt's military announced that a militant attack had been foiled.
On Saturday, army forces discovered explosives under a border guard post in Rafah and later found a detonator 800 meters away.
The explosives were removed safely.
The Rafah border crossing with Gaza remained closed for a fifth day on Sunday due to unrest in Sinai, officials said.
Egyptian armed forces launched large scale military action against militants in Sinai earlier in September, in what officials described as the largest mobilization of force in the area since the 1973 war with Israel.
The army has killed around 100 Islamists in the area over the past two months, and the militants killed 58 policemen, 21 soldiers and 17 civilians there, according to an AFP tally.
Egyptian helicopters provided cover for ground troops to raid al-Mahdiyya village south of Rafah and several missiles hit targets in the area.
Military helicopters were seen over the border with Gaza as Egypt's military announced that a militant attack had been foiled.
On Saturday, army forces discovered explosives under a border guard post in Rafah and later found a detonator 800 meters away.
The explosives were removed safely.
The Rafah border crossing with Gaza remained closed for a fifth day on Sunday due to unrest in Sinai, officials said.
Egyptian armed forces launched large scale military action against militants in Sinai earlier in September, in what officials described as the largest mobilization of force in the area since the 1973 war with Israel.
The army has killed around 100 Islamists in the area over the past two months, and the militants killed 58 policemen, 21 soldiers and 17 civilians there, according to an AFP tally.
Palestinian security sources in the Gaza Strip have reported that a two Egyptian Navy boats sailed into Palestinian territorial waters in the Gaza Strip, chased Palestinian fishermen, opened fire at their boats, and arrested a fisherman.
The sources said that the Palestinian boats did not enter Egyptian waters, and that the Egyptian Navy boats sailed all the way into Palestinian waters, and stopped approximately one nautical mile away from the shore.
The Egyptian boats then opened fire at several Palestinian fishing boats, close to the Rafah Port and the Naval Police headquarters, before boarding a fishing boat and arresting Omar Mohammad Bardaweel.
On Thursday, two Egyptian army tanks crossed the Gaza-Egypt wired border fence, but did not cross into the Palestinian side, media sources in Gaza said.
Eyewitnesses said that the two tanks reportedly crossed through the first border fence, and drove next to the concrete wall Egypt is building along the border with Gaza.
Islam Shahwan, spokesperson of the Ministry of Interior in Gaza, denied the report, and that the not a single Egyptian tank crossed the border, and called on local media outlets to ensure the accuracy of their reports.
The sources said that the Palestinian boats did not enter Egyptian waters, and that the Egyptian Navy boats sailed all the way into Palestinian waters, and stopped approximately one nautical mile away from the shore.
The Egyptian boats then opened fire at several Palestinian fishing boats, close to the Rafah Port and the Naval Police headquarters, before boarding a fishing boat and arresting Omar Mohammad Bardaweel.
On Thursday, two Egyptian army tanks crossed the Gaza-Egypt wired border fence, but did not cross into the Palestinian side, media sources in Gaza said.
Eyewitnesses said that the two tanks reportedly crossed through the first border fence, and drove next to the concrete wall Egypt is building along the border with Gaza.
Islam Shahwan, spokesperson of the Ministry of Interior in Gaza, denied the report, and that the not a single Egyptian tank crossed the border, and called on local media outlets to ensure the accuracy of their reports.
The Egyptian naval forces opened fire on Saturday evening at Palestinian fishermen and physically assaulted two of them during an incursion into the territorial waters of the Gaza Strip. Dean of the Gazan fishermen Nizar Ayyash told the Palestinian information center (PIC) that Egyptian naval soldiers detained fisherman Omar Bardawil, 40, along with his son Ziyad, 13, and brutally beat him before confiscating the outboard motor of his boat.
Ayyash said this incident was the second of its kind after the Egyptian navy had wounded two weeks ago two Gazan fishermen and kidnapped five others during an armed attack on them in Gaza territorial waters.
He expressed his grave concern that the Egyptian army started to follow the steps of its Israeli counterpart and engage in hostile practices against the fishermen of Gaza.
The Gazan fishermen confirmed that two Egyptian gunboats entered the Gaza territorial waters and started to shoot them at close range during their presence near Rafah port before capturing and assaulting Ayyash and his son off the coast.
For its part, the Hamas Movement strongly denounced the Egyptian navy for violating the Palestinian maritime borders and launching a wanton attack on Gazan fishermen.
"The Hamas Movement deplores the opening of fire at Palestinian fishermen inside the Palestinian waters by Egyptian naval boats and the detention of some of them," its spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri stated in a press release.
Ayyash said this incident was the second of its kind after the Egyptian navy had wounded two weeks ago two Gazan fishermen and kidnapped five others during an armed attack on them in Gaza territorial waters.
He expressed his grave concern that the Egyptian army started to follow the steps of its Israeli counterpart and engage in hostile practices against the fishermen of Gaza.
The Gazan fishermen confirmed that two Egyptian gunboats entered the Gaza territorial waters and started to shoot them at close range during their presence near Rafah port before capturing and assaulting Ayyash and his son off the coast.
For its part, the Hamas Movement strongly denounced the Egyptian navy for violating the Palestinian maritime borders and launching a wanton attack on Gazan fishermen.
"The Hamas Movement deplores the opening of fire at Palestinian fishermen inside the Palestinian waters by Egyptian naval boats and the detention of some of them," its spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri stated in a press release.
Egyptian authorities continued to shut down the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip for the fifth day running on Sunday. Maher Abu Sabha, the director general of borders and crossings, said Egyptian authorities were still closing the terminal and that any new development would be published on the ministry’s website.
Egyptian authorities closed the crossing last Wednesday following an explosion in the Egyptian military intelligence building in Egyptian Rafah town and kept it closed since then.
The Palestinian government, legislative council, and human rights groups called for opening the crossing to enable citizens to exercise their right of travel and movement especially when thousands were stranded on both sides of the crossing.
Egyptian authorities closed the crossing last Wednesday following an explosion in the Egyptian military intelligence building in Egyptian Rafah town and kept it closed since then.
The Palestinian government, legislative council, and human rights groups called for opening the crossing to enable citizens to exercise their right of travel and movement especially when thousands were stranded on both sides of the crossing.
Egyptian authorities refuse to allow entry for dozens of Palestinians arriving from various countries en route to Gaza Strip. Egyptian security sources told the PIC that the authorities did not show any concern with the condition of those Palestinians, some of whom have residence permits in Egypt.
They said that the airport authorities would not allow them to enter Cairo without giving any reason.
The sources noted that some of those Palestinian citizens had spent several days at the deportation room in the airport, adding that the trapped Palestinians were dismayed at the maltreatment.
They said that the airport authorities would not allow them to enter Cairo without giving any reason.
The sources noted that some of those Palestinian citizens had spent several days at the deportation room in the airport, adding that the trapped Palestinians were dismayed at the maltreatment.
14 sept 2013
Senior member of Hamas's political bureau Mousa Abu Marzouk said that the bias in favor of the Palestinian cause and the refusal to engage in hostile activities against the Palestinian resistance have always been, since 1948, an essential part of Egypt's national security and should remain like this. Abu Marzouk made his remarks on Friday on his facebook page commenting on an Egyptian TV talk show in which the speakers launched scathing attacks on the Palestinians, especially those in Gaza.
During the TV program, the host demanded leader of the military coup Abdul-Fattah Asisi to close Rafah border crossing forever, not to allow Gaza patient to enter Egypt for medical treatment, have all Palestinian residents in Egypt arrested, have the citizenship of all Palestinian holders of Egyptian passports revoked, bomb Gaza and kill its people.
Abu Marzouk highlighted that the death on the land of steadfastness and resistance is honor and pride and questioned if the Egyptian jails are big enough to hold all Palestinians living in Egypt.
The Hamas official noted that the vast majority of the Palestinians had legally obtained Egyptian citizenship during the rule of the military council which was formed following the 25 January revolution and not during the rule of president Mohamed Morsi as the TV show host claimed.
"Gaza is still occupied, so will this [Egyptian] bombing target Gaza children or the occupation?" Abu Marzouk replied to the host's appeal to Sisi to bomb Gaza.
Abu Marzouk also pointed out that the TV program seemed to have been prepared exclusively to verbally abuse the Palestinians in general and incite the Egyptian street against them, asserting that the guests who participated in this farce over the phone also used all kind of foul language against the Palestinians.
During the TV program, the host demanded leader of the military coup Abdul-Fattah Asisi to close Rafah border crossing forever, not to allow Gaza patient to enter Egypt for medical treatment, have all Palestinian residents in Egypt arrested, have the citizenship of all Palestinian holders of Egyptian passports revoked, bomb Gaza and kill its people.
Abu Marzouk highlighted that the death on the land of steadfastness and resistance is honor and pride and questioned if the Egyptian jails are big enough to hold all Palestinians living in Egypt.
The Hamas official noted that the vast majority of the Palestinians had legally obtained Egyptian citizenship during the rule of the military council which was formed following the 25 January revolution and not during the rule of president Mohamed Morsi as the TV show host claimed.
"Gaza is still occupied, so will this [Egyptian] bombing target Gaza children or the occupation?" Abu Marzouk replied to the host's appeal to Sisi to bomb Gaza.
Abu Marzouk also pointed out that the TV program seemed to have been prepared exclusively to verbally abuse the Palestinians in general and incite the Egyptian street against them, asserting that the guests who participated in this farce over the phone also used all kind of foul language against the Palestinians.
13 sept 2013
Egyptian Navy arrested 150 Palestinian refugees, mostly women and children, while trying to pass through sea to Europe.
The Egyptian navy boats have opened fire against the Palestinian boat thinking that it was coming from Gaza, causing a state of panic among the refugees.
The Egyptian authorities have then discovered that the boats were not from Gaza but they were holding Palestinian refugees fleeing from Syria to Italy. The boat was detained by Egyptian Navy.
The refugees' families called on internationa human rights institutions including UNRWA, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Palestinian embassy in Egypt, to intervene immediately for the release of their sons detained by the Egyptian security forces while trying to reach Italy.
The Egyptian navy boats have opened fire against the Palestinian boat thinking that it was coming from Gaza, causing a state of panic among the refugees.
The Egyptian authorities have then discovered that the boats were not from Gaza but they were holding Palestinian refugees fleeing from Syria to Italy. The boat was detained by Egyptian Navy.
The refugees' families called on internationa human rights institutions including UNRWA, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Palestinian embassy in Egypt, to intervene immediately for the release of their sons detained by the Egyptian security forces while trying to reach Italy.
Prominent Egyptian intellectual and writer Fahmi Huwaidi expressed anxiety that the present Egyptian authorities are dealing with the residents of the Sinai as guilty rather than innocent, by force rather than law, by reaction rather than wisdom in a way which would turn the Sinai into a battle front rather than a part of the country. In an articles published by al-Shurouq on Thursday, Huwaidi also expressed surprise at the way the present authorities dealt with tunnels between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.
“If what is happening in the Sinai in the name of fighting terrorism surprises us, what is happening at the border with Gaza leaves us bewildered.
This is because we know of no convincing reason or national interest for it to happen. I am talking about the destruction of tunnels and establishing a buffer zone along 13 Kilometres of borders. I feel humiliated when I think that Israel is the only beneficiary of both acts. It is the only beneficiary from strangling and starving the [Gaza] Strip and it is the only beneficiary from a buffer zone which the Mubarak regime could not implement five years ago (in 2008), so he stopped it to avoid the wrath of the [Egyptian] people.”
“One can only accept that the campaign against the tunnels and making Egyptians believe that they constitute danger to Egypt has succeeded, but anyone with conscience should be unsettled by thinking of the humanitarian disaster that threatens the Gaza Strip as a result of the demolition of those tunnels. What is even more baffling is the fact that opening the Rafah crossing for passengers and goods under Egyptian control would constitute an alternative that would put the minds of Egyptians at rest and relieves the people of the Strip, but its only problem is that it will not gain the approval of Israel.”
“If what is happening in the Sinai in the name of fighting terrorism surprises us, what is happening at the border with Gaza leaves us bewildered.
This is because we know of no convincing reason or national interest for it to happen. I am talking about the destruction of tunnels and establishing a buffer zone along 13 Kilometres of borders. I feel humiliated when I think that Israel is the only beneficiary of both acts. It is the only beneficiary from strangling and starving the [Gaza] Strip and it is the only beneficiary from a buffer zone which the Mubarak regime could not implement five years ago (in 2008), so he stopped it to avoid the wrath of the [Egyptian] people.”
“One can only accept that the campaign against the tunnels and making Egyptians believe that they constitute danger to Egypt has succeeded, but anyone with conscience should be unsettled by thinking of the humanitarian disaster that threatens the Gaza Strip as a result of the demolition of those tunnels. What is even more baffling is the fact that opening the Rafah crossing for passengers and goods under Egyptian control would constitute an alternative that would put the minds of Egyptians at rest and relieves the people of the Strip, but its only problem is that it will not gain the approval of Israel.”
Spokesman for Ministry of Interior and National SecurityDenied Islam Shahwan denied that Egyptian tanks entered the first line of the border (barbed wire) with the Gaza Strip. Shahwan told ALRAY that "the National Security Forces denied access of any tank into the borders," calling on the media to investigate the accuracy in treating such news.
Local media reported earlier that two Egyptian Tanks crossed for the first time Thursday evening the barbed-wire fence into the Gaza Strip.
"The tanks invaded for the first time this line and walked on the road adjacent to the concrete wall erected by the Egyptian authorities on the border with the Gaza Strip years ago," it added.
The sources indicated that “masked black-clad gunmen topped tanks while a Verna car driven by a masked militant was going along in between,”
The armored tanks headed east towards the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing closed since two days, according to the sources.
The Egyptian army recently sent reinforcements along the border with the Gaza Strip where tanks and artillery neared the border in an unprecedented development.
The Egyptian army has destroyed most of the underground tunnels used to bring food and goods and fuel to the Gaza Strip which has been under an Israeli blockade since more than 6 years.
Local media reported earlier that two Egyptian Tanks crossed for the first time Thursday evening the barbed-wire fence into the Gaza Strip.
"The tanks invaded for the first time this line and walked on the road adjacent to the concrete wall erected by the Egyptian authorities on the border with the Gaza Strip years ago," it added.
The sources indicated that “masked black-clad gunmen topped tanks while a Verna car driven by a masked militant was going along in between,”
The armored tanks headed east towards the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing closed since two days, according to the sources.
The Egyptian army recently sent reinforcements along the border with the Gaza Strip where tanks and artillery neared the border in an unprecedented development.
The Egyptian army has destroyed most of the underground tunnels used to bring food and goods and fuel to the Gaza Strip which has been under an Israeli blockade since more than 6 years.
12 sept 2013
Palestinian news agency Maan reported that two Egyptian tanks crossed the Egyptian border with the Gaza Strip for the first time on Thursday night, but did not reach the Palestinian border. Witnesses said that the two tanks were moving along the road in front of the concrete wall Egyptian authorities had erected on the border with the Gaza Strip several years ago.
They said that masked Egyptian soldiers drove the two tanks without entering Palestinian territory. According to the report, they were accompanied by a civilian vehicle.
They said that masked Egyptian soldiers drove the two tanks without entering Palestinian territory. According to the report, they were accompanied by a civilian vehicle.
Maher Abu Sabha, director-general of the Border Crossings Administration in Gaza, stated that the Palestinian government has presented a proposal to the Egyptian authorities to end the Rafah border crossing crisis.
The proposal states that Palestinian travelers would be treated as pilgrims, so that their passports would be handed over to the Egyptian side to be checked, and then they would be allowed to travel directly, Abu Sabha said.
He added that the Palestinian side is waiting for the Egyptian response to its proposal that will end the Palestinian travelers' crisis in three or four days if there is an Egyptian will to do so.
Abu Sabha confirmed that the government has made contacts with the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, who is responsible for this issue, in order to end the crossing crisis.
He pointed out that the Egyptian authorities are used to closing the Rafah crossing under the pretext of the security tensions in Sinai Peninsula.
Abu Sabha said that daily contacts have been made between Palestinian and Egyptian sides to solve this crisis especially that it causes a humanitarian disaster in the strip.
Six thousand Palestinian travelers are stranded on the crossing, most of them have foreign residency, or are patients and students, Abu Sabha said, adding that the Rafah crossing suffers a very difficult situation.
Abu Sabha said that the travel of Palestinian pilgrims from the Gaza Strip will take four days through Rafah Crossing, noting that large number of them would be deprived of performing Hajj if the crossing's crisis continues.
He called on Egyptian authorities to end the crossing crisis especially that the Rafah crossing constitutes the strip's sole outlet to the outside world.
The proposal states that Palestinian travelers would be treated as pilgrims, so that their passports would be handed over to the Egyptian side to be checked, and then they would be allowed to travel directly, Abu Sabha said.
He added that the Palestinian side is waiting for the Egyptian response to its proposal that will end the Palestinian travelers' crisis in three or four days if there is an Egyptian will to do so.
Abu Sabha confirmed that the government has made contacts with the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, who is responsible for this issue, in order to end the crossing crisis.
He pointed out that the Egyptian authorities are used to closing the Rafah crossing under the pretext of the security tensions in Sinai Peninsula.
Abu Sabha said that daily contacts have been made between Palestinian and Egyptian sides to solve this crisis especially that it causes a humanitarian disaster in the strip.
Six thousand Palestinian travelers are stranded on the crossing, most of them have foreign residency, or are patients and students, Abu Sabha said, adding that the Rafah crossing suffers a very difficult situation.
Abu Sabha said that the travel of Palestinian pilgrims from the Gaza Strip will take four days through Rafah Crossing, noting that large number of them would be deprived of performing Hajj if the crossing's crisis continues.
He called on Egyptian authorities to end the crossing crisis especially that the Rafah crossing constitutes the strip's sole outlet to the outside world.
The Egyptian authorities closed on Thursday for the second consecutive day the Rafah border crossing as a result of the deteriorating security situation in the Sinai. Safa news agency quoted director of the crossings and borders in Gaza Maher Abu Sabha as saying that the crossing would be closed until further notice because of the security campaign that was recently launched by the Egyptian army following the car bomb attack on the military intelligence headquarters in the Rafah border area.
Earlier, the Egyptian authorities had claimed that a malfunction in the computer system at the crossing was behind their failure to allow many Palestinians from Gaza to travel.
Since the military coup against president Mohamed Morsi, the crossing has been partiallyperating and the number of passengers has dropped from about 1200 to less than 200 persons.
Earlier, the Egyptian authorities had claimed that a malfunction in the computer system at the crossing was behind their failure to allow many Palestinians from Gaza to travel.
Since the military coup against president Mohamed Morsi, the crossing has been partiallyperating and the number of passengers has dropped from about 1200 to less than 200 persons.
An Israeli delegation arrived at Cairo airport on Wednesday on a private jet to discuss the recent events in the Sinai, an airport official told Ma’an.
The delegation was greeted by Egyptian security officials. The delegation will meet other Egyptian officials to discuss the security issues in the Sinai and bilateral relations between the two countries.
The official added that the Israeli delegation consisted of three officials, and the visit was expected to last several hours.
The delegation was greeted by Egyptian security officials. The delegation will meet other Egyptian officials to discuss the security issues in the Sinai and bilateral relations between the two countries.
The official added that the Israeli delegation consisted of three officials, and the visit was expected to last several hours.
