Palestinian militants blew part of the border wall on the Gaza-Egypt border on Friday, witnesses said.

The gunmen made a big hole in the border wall and many Palestinians, who were stranded at the Egyptian side, crossed into the Gaza Strip through the hole, the witnesses said.

The key Rafah crossing on the Gaza-Egypt border has been shut since Palestinian militants kidnapped an Israeli soldier during a cross-border raid on June 25.

Palestinian sources said that over 5,000 Palestinians were stranded at both sides of the crossing.

Rafah, sitting on the southern Gaza border with Israel, is the only terminal for Palestinians travelling in and out of the Gaza Strip.

Source: Xinhua