Tensions on Tuesday erupted over Egypt's closure of its Gaza Strip border, with Palestinian protesters breaking through the crossing and clashing with Egyptian guards. Ten Egyptian police and about 60 protesters were wounded as protesters hurled stones at the Egyptians and Palestinian gunmen fired briefly in the air.
According to the AP, hundreds of protesters briefly broke through the border terminal, pushing back Egyptian riot police who fired in the air to try to contain the crowd. Egypt police used water canons and tear gas against the protestors, mostly women and youth, to contain and stop the break.
The clash came at the end of a protest of several thousand women carrying Hamas flags and calling for a lifting of the full closure of Gaza Strip imposed by Israel last week. The protesters hurled insults at Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Since Hamas violently took over the coastal territoty in June, Egypt has joined Israel in severely restricting access to Gaza Strip, largely keeping its border terminal closed.
Israel imposed its blockade last week in response for a climb in rocket attacks on border communities by Gaza Strip gunners. The closure cut off fuel supplies and Hamas shut down the Gaza Strip's only power plant on Sunday, cutting off electricity to about one-third of the territory's 1.5 million residents.
© 2008 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
