RAFAH: While over 1,000 Palestinians navigated through the Rafah border crossing since its opening on Wednesday, many Gazans destined to Egypt were denied entry for lacking official papers. Palestinians complained about being denied entry to Egypt while Egyptian officials in Rafah blamed Hamas for the bureaucratic delays. A bus carrying between 20-30 people was spotted entering Egypt on Thursday. Meanwhile, some 70 Palestinians were reportedly stuck at the arrival hall since 9 am, waiting for their papers to be processed. On Wednesday, senior security officials put the numbers of those who returned to Gaza through the Rafah crossing at 510 while those who entered Egyptian soil amount to 547. One of those allowed to pass through yesterday said that some 8,000 others were waiting on the Gaza side. Palestinians with medical conditions, who constituted the largest share of crossers, were required to hold an official document from the Ministry of Health. However, one person told Daily News Egypt in Rafah that he was denied entry even though he carried the official document. While some complained from temporary ailments, many braved physical disabilities such as amputation or dependence on wheelchairs. On Tuesday, President Hosni Mubarak ordered the opening of the Rafah border in response to Israel's deadly raid on a flotilla of aid bound to Gaza earlier this week, which left at least nine people dead. The attack triggered worldwide condemnation which is said to be the reason why Egypt decided to open the crossing. Two days after the Egyptian government ordered the opening of its border with Gaza, it seemed like more people than aid managed to cross over. In Rafah on Thursday morning, two Red Crescent trucks carried 250 tents and 28 generators, and according to the Head of the Sinai Red Crescent, 25 others carrying pasta, flour, sugar, rice and canned meat were to follow. No serious security was reported on the border. Around 1.5 million people live in Gaza where an economy crippled by the blockade has long struggled to provide basic needs. –Additional reporting by Heba El-Sherif.
