Egypt closes border as Palestinians flock back to Gaza

The Egyptian authorities closed its borders with Gaza and prevented the Palestinians from crossing to the Egyptian Rafah via the fence along the borders.

Hundreds of Palestinians responded to the final grace period given by the Egyptian authorities for them to leave Rafah on Wednesday evening, and started return back to Gaza.

The Egyptian forces opened fire in the air to prevent the Palestinians from crossing the fence in Rafah, but many continued their attempt to enter from openings in the Israeli cement wall or climbing the fence built by Egypt of 1.5 meter height.

In this regard, the Palestinian authorities announced the formation of an Egyptian- Palestinian security committee in order to draw necessary arrangements to control the situation at the Rafah border crossing which witnessed intensive crossing movement both ways after the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces.

The national security advisor for the Palestinian President Jibril Rajjoub said that the two sides agreed to prepare for signing a bilateral agreement on border demarcation.

However, the Egyptian security forces said it found an underway tunnel contains large amounts of weapons at the border between Egypt and Gaza.

One Egyptian security source said Egypt found three shelling for anti-tank missile, 38 grenades and 2800 anti tank shelling in a tunnel dug at a depth of 10 meters, 4 kn south of the Rafah crossing.