Rafah crossing to open for 2 days

Egypt has agreed to reopen its Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip for two days beginning on Tuesday to allow the passage of holders of Egyptian nationality, as well as medical patients and Palestinians from Gaza stranded in Egypt.

Egypt made this decision after 200 Palestinians stranded in Egypt appealed to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday.

The crossing has been closed for over a year, although Egypt has opened the crossing on certain occasions, such as to allow Muslim pilgrims from Gaza to attend the Hajj in Mecca last December.