STUDENTS STRANDED IN GAZA PROTEST EGYPT’S CLOSURE OF RAFAH

Gaza, 25 Safar 1437/7 December 2015 (MINA) – Palestinian university students staged a protest rally in Gaza City on Sunday (6/12) calling on the Egyptian authorities to open the Rafah border crossing so that they can resume their studies abroad.

Student spokesman Muhammad Abu Taha urged the Egyptian authorities to open the Rafah border crossing, Gaza’s sole passageway, saying students’ interests and academic futures are being threatened by the constant closure of the crossing and by their inability to travel, The Palestinian Information Center (PIC) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

Abu Taha called on the Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman, Mahmoud Abbas, to urgently work on opening the Rafah crossing and restore Gazans’ right to free movement, as already guaranteed by international laws and treaties.

“The border crossing has been kept closed for all the days of the year, except for 20 days. Opening the crossing for one or two days does not solve the problem,” he added.

Many of the protesting Palestinian students expressed feelings of frustration, helplessness, and fear that their visas and academic scholarships might be cancelled.

Spokesman for the Islamic Bloc Muhammad al-Masri said over 25,000 stranded Palestinians are launching cries for help and appealing to the PA and the Egyptian authorities to unblock the passageway with no further hesitation before students and humanitarian cases.(T/P008/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)