GAZA, Feb 24, 2009 (Xinhua via COMTEX News Network) -- Hundreds of Palestinians cross into Egypt on last border opening day.
Hundreds of Palestinians were able to cross in and out of the Gaza Strip two days after Egypt opened Rafah crossing point before Palestinian humanitarian cases, Palestinian officials said on Tuesday.
The three-day opening, started on Sunday, was the first Egyptian gesture towards easing Gaza blockade since the end of the Israeli major offensive in December and January.
Adel Zourob, spokesman for border crossings at Hamas administration, said the travelers, enlisted by Hamas interior ministry and could not cross in the past day, would be able to make their way today (Tuesday).
"The crossing is open for seven buses that will transport the students and the holders of foreign residencies who could not cross earlier," Zourob said.
On Monday, Egypt allowed 590 travelers to cross into its territories and rejected the departure of 412 Palestinians. Some 160 people stranded in Egypt crossed into Gaza on Monday, according to Zourob.
Egypt and Israel maintained the closure of their crossing points with the Gaza Strip in 2007 after Hamas seized control of the territory by force after defeating the rival Fatah troops under Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Hamas demands the crossing to open but Egypt says it can not bypass a U.S.-brokered protocol that stipulates the deployment of European Union monitors and Palestinian president's forces on the crossing to be open.
The EU monitors and the presidential guard withdrew following Hamas' takeover.