GAZA CITY: Egypt on Thursday opened its largely sealed border with the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip for three days, on the eve of more planned protests against Israel, Palestinian authorities said. Egypt has kept the border terminal, which connects Gaza with Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, mostly sealed since the overthrow of former President Mohamed Morsi in a 2013 military coup, 



The long periods of closure at the crossing -- which represents Gaza's only point of access to the outside world not under Israeli control -- have brought the coastal enclave’s nearly 2 million inhabitants to the verge of humanitarian catastrophe. Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up

The opening comes ahead of a third consecutive Friday of planned mass protests along the Gaza-Israel border. The Rafah crossing is the only exit for Gaza residents except into Israel, but Egypt has largely sealed it in recent years, citing security threats.
Egypt, citing humanitarian reasons, opens the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula for three days.