The Hamas movement on Sunday reiterated its refusal to bring its Muslim Hajj pilgrims back to Gaza via an Israeli-run crossing point.
"We can't accept any justification for the pilgrim's entry through Kerem Shalom crossing because this will endanger the pilgrims and it is like handing them over to the Zionist enemy," said Ismail Radwan, a Hamas spokesman.
Radwan urged Egypt to allow the pilgrims to return from Rafah crossing point on the Gaza-Egyptian border in southern Gaza Strip to avoid the Israeli crossing of Kerem Shalom.
Rafah crossing has been closed since June when Hamas took over the Gaza Strip by force. It was reopened for the first time earlier this month to allow Hamas pilgrims to go to Mecca according to a pact between Hamas and Egypt.
Israel was angered by the reopening of Rafah while Egypt requested the pilgrims to sign a pledge of returning home via the Israeli terminals for security checks.
The pilgrims are afraid that Israel will arrest tens of them if they passed through its crossings. As a result, some 2,250 pilgrims are stuck in the water between Egypt and Jordan.
Radwan said that exiled Hamas politburo chief, Khaled Mashaal, had held contacts with the Egyptian authorities to overcome the crisis. He added that the deposed Hamas government of Gaza was also making contacts from its side.
"We have received promises from the Egyptian side that this issue was going to be resolved," Radwan said.
Source; Xinhua/
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