The Egyptian authorities reopened, partially for few hours, Rafah crossing at the border with the Palestinian territory of Gaza Strip on Thursday, for the return of Hamas representatives, a security source told Xinhua.

The source said that Rafah crossing was opened to let Hamas leaders go back to Gaza Strip and also for some Palestinian patients.

A delegation of the Palestinian Islamic Hamas movement headed by Mahmoud El Zahar arrived in Egypt on Sunday to take part in the sixth round of the Palestinian dialogue in Cairo. Hamas delegation members also included Khalil El Haya, Nezar Awad Allah, Emad Elami, and Mohamed Nasr.

The sixth round of the Palestinian dialogue in Cairo concluded Tuesday evening by setting July 25 for the seventh round.

Egypt and Israel sealed off their borders with the Gaza Strip after the Islamic Hamas movement seized the coastal territory in June 2007. Egypt used to open its borders on an irregular basis only for humanitarian cases.

Source: Xinhua