Hundreds of Palestinian pilgrims started to make their way back to Gaza Strip via Rafah crossing after the Egyptian authorities allowed them to go home through its borders, witnesses and Hamas sources said on Wednesday.
Taher al-Nounou, spokesman for Hamas administration in Gaza, said the Egyptian side told the pilgrims they would be allowed to pass through Rafah border crossing, bypassing Israeli-controlled crossing points.
Asked about possible Israeli reaction on the ground, al-Nounou said the issue was "a Palestinian-Egyptian affair and Israel has nothing to intervene in."
Earlier, the pilgrims held a hunger strike after a second woman died while waiting to return to Gaza.
According to Palestinian medical sources, the pilgrim Mariam Adwan died at the Egyptian city of al-Arish while waiting at a makeshift camp due to cold weather.
Two days ago, a woman died during scramble between about 2,200 pilgrims and Egyptian security forces.
Egypt allowed the Hamas-sponsored Hajj pilgrims to enter its territories after performing the annual pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. However, Egyptian authorities requested them to go home via Israeli-run crossings though they have departed via the Egyptian border with Gaza Strip at Rafah.
Maan news, a local Palestinian agency, reported that the stranded pilgrims have tried to walk to Rafah crossing but the Egyptian police stopped them.
A number of Hamas members and leaders are among the stranded pilgrims and they fear of being arrested if they returned through the Israeli-controlled crossing points.
Source:Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article