RAFAH CROSSING OPENS SUNDAY FOR UMRAH PILGRIMS

Gaza City, 18 Rajab 1435/17 May 2014 (MINA) – Egyptian authorities will open the Rafah crossing on Sunday to allow pilgrims to pass through, a Gaza official said.

Maher Abu Sabha, the director of border crossings, said that Egypt would open the Rafah crossing with Gaza on Sunday and Monday to allow Umrah pilgrims to leave the Strip for Saudi Arabia.

Pilgrims returning to Gaza will be allowed to pass back into the coastal enclave on Tuesday, Abu Sabha added, Ma’an News Agency quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

Rafah has been the principal connection between Gaza’s 2 million residents and the outside world since the imposition of an economic blockade by Israel in 2007.

Number of travel applicants rises to 15,000

The Gaza citizens registered for travel in the Interior Ministry records totaled 15,000, said Director of Border Crossings Administration Maher Abu Sabha.

Abu Sabha explained in a statement to Al Ray that “Seven thousands have applied at the ministry public administration office for travel during the past week,” to join eight thousands previously applied, bringing the total number of applicants to 15 thousand Palestinians.

All citizens registered for travel are classified as patients, humanitarian cases, foreign passport holders, and oversees students, he added.

Contacts with the Egyptian authorities are ongoing to facilitate an opening of the Rafah crossing -the lone land port through which Gaza people can travel-, Abu Sabha said.

The administration opened registration for those wishing to travel from last Sunday through Thursday. The Egyptian authorities continue to close the Rafah crossing for the seventh day in both directions.

Since July 2013, the Egyptian authorities only open the crossing two or three days at ten-day intervals.(T/P02/E01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)