Rafah border ‘restrictions to be eased’
Egypt enforced Israel’s siege of Gaza under Mubarak, but now apparently plans to open border round the clock.
Egypt is considering plans to keep its border crossing with the Gaza Strip open round the clock.
Under former President Hosni Mubarak, the Rafah crossing had been effectively blocked, but since the revolution, the border has been open five days a week, benefiting thousands of Palestinians.
Getting out of Gaza used to be an endurance test as Palestinian travelers would find themselves stranded by the roadside for hours, as the siege of Gaza – imposed by Israel – was being enforced by Egypt.
With the overland route closed, Egyptians and Palestinians created an underground alternative: tunnels that bypass the border controls, and are also used to smuggle people and weapons.
Al Jazeera’s Jacky Rowland reports.