ALJAZEERA.NET
25 January 2008
 Palestinians used a bulldozer to destroy a border wall between the Gaza Strip and Egypt [Reuters] |
Just minutes after a deadline passed for the border between Egypt to Gaza to be officially shut down, Palestinians have again broken through.
Palestinians broke another hole in the border fence with a bulldozer on Friday, and scores of trucks and pedestrians were seen entering into Egypt.
After the 3 pm (1300 GMT) deadline set for the closure, thousands of Gazans were still believed to be on the Egyptian side of the border in the town of Rafah.
The deadline was earlier announced over megaphones on Egyptian security vehicles driving around al-Arish and Egyptian Rafah.
Speaking from the Gaza side of the crossing, Al Jazeera’s correspondent Jacky Rowland said the Rafah crossing is open to business.
“The crossing has become open again. Now the Egyptian police have pulled back and the crossing is open and operating again, people are continuing to go cross the border to buy household goods”.
Egyptian security forces in full riot gear were deployed along the border in an attempt to prevent Palestinians crossing over to Egypt to stock up on supplies.
Egyptian troops, in green camouflage, bullet-proof vests and helmets and armed with clubs and plastic shields, formed human chains and rolled out barbed wire to prevent more Gazan’s from entering Egypt.
At the same time, Gazans were allowed back into the Strip, witnesses said.