Hamas Says Egypt Has Temporarily Reopened Its Border With The Gaza Strip

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The militant Hamas group says Egypt has temporarily reopened its border with the Gaza Strip, the first time the border was opened in three months.

The Rafah crossing is Gaza’s main gateway to the outside world. The crossing this time is to operate on Wednesday and Thursday.

Hamas, which rules Gaza, says 30,000 people have applied to travel for various reasons, including humanitarian cases. The group’s Interior Ministry called on Egypt to extend the opening period to meet the demand.

Egypt has kept the crossing largely sealed since 2013, when ties with Hamas worsened after the ouster of Egypt’s Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

Last month, Hamas boosted security forces along the border with Egypt in response to Egyptian accusations that Hamas was aiding Islamic State militants in the Sinai Peninsula.