Gaza-Ma'an-The Israeli army have reversed an earlier decision to open the Rafah crossing, saying that there are security reasons which makes it necessary to keep it closed. The Rafah crossing into Egypt is the only exit and entry point for the almost 1.5 million Palestinians who live in the Gaza Strip.
According to Palestinian security sources, the Israeli army informed the European Union monitors that they had received security warnings about the crossing, so the crossing must not be opened. The Israeli forces did not give a new date for the opening of the crossing.
The Rafah crossing agreement between the Palestinian National Authority and Israel, signed on 15 November 2005, gave responsiblity to the Palestinians and EU monitors for opening and operating the Rafah Crossing.
According to the Palestine Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), about 7000 Palestinian travelers are currently being forced to stay in Egypt, while five hundred Palestinians returned to the Gaza Strip when the border fence was broken by Palestinians on 14 July 2006. Thousands of Palestinians who are inside the Gaza Strip are unable to return to work and study outside the Strip.
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