Egyptian media in dispute over number of Palestinians refusing to return Gaza via Israeli crossing
CAIRO, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Almost all Palestinians stranded in the Egyptian side of Rafah crossing returned home in Gaza via Israeli checkpoint in the past two weeks, but the exact number of Palestinians still remained in Egypt is in dispute, local media reported Friday.
Directives have been given by North Sinai Governor Ahmed Abdel- Hamid to count the number of the Palestinians who have not crossed into the Gaza Strip, the official news agency MENA said.
According to MENA, only 30 stranded Palestinians, who were said to be supporters of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), refused to return home via Israeli crossing, fearing they might be arrested by the Israeli authorities.
However, Daily News Egypt on Friday placed the number of the Palestinians remained in Egypt at between 500 and 700.
The newspaper quoted local coordinator for Palestinian affairs Abdel Sattar El-Ghalban as saying that the Palestinians refusing to return include not only Hamas supporters, but also people affiliated to other Palestinian groups like Fatah and Islamic Jihad.
"Those remaining are wanted by Israel so they cannot return through Aloja," said El-Ghalban.
MENA said that 6,333 Palestinians, who had been stuck in Egypt for nearly two months, crossed back home in ten batches via Aloja land crossing in central Sinai as of Thursday.
The Palestinians had been stuck in the Egyptian side of Rafah crossing as all crossing points in the strip have been closed since mid June when Hamas defeated rival Fatah movement and seized control of the Gaza Strip.
Source: Xinhua
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