Hamas: Efforts to end Rafah terminal crisis continue

Saturday June 30, 2007 12:06 by IMEMC Staff

Abu Zuhri slams Abbas' call for International forces in Gaza

The Islamic Resistance Movement, (Hamas) called all parties to end the suffering of thousands of Palestinians stranded at Gaza-Egypt border crossing in Rafah.

Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri, spokesperson of Hamas said in a statement issued Saturday that his movement is investing serious efforts to reopen the Rafah terminal.

Dr. Abu Zuhri said contacts are made with Egyptian official in bid to pressure Israel to reopen the border-crossing to allow thousands of Palestinian passengers to cross to Gaza Strip.

Dr. Abu Zuhri also slammed statements made by the Palestinain President Mahmoud Abbas in Paris on Friday in which he called for international forces in the Gaza Strip.

Abbas told the confernce of International Socialism in Paris that International forces are needed at least to protect planned early elections.

On his part, Dr. Abu Zuhri described this call as requesting the "support of the foreigner against his country men." and added that any foreign forces represents another military occupation of the Gaz Strip.

He also slammed Abbas' rejection to calls by several Arab leaders for dialogue with Hamas to solve conflict issues.

Shortly after Hamas took total control of the Gaza strip- two weeks ago- scores of Fatah security officers and loyalists escaped the costal region to Egypt. Moreover the European observers whose presence is essential to keep Rafah crossing open, left their post leading the Israeli army and Egyptian security forces to close the Border.

Several hundreds of those passengers were already stuck ont he Egyptian side of the border before Hamas took control of the strip, as Israel did not allow a regular opening of it during the past 12 months.

Closing the Rafah crossing- the only way for Palestinians in or out of the Gaza Strip - has left thousands of Palestinians, who were in Egypt mostly for medical treatment, stranded at the borders without money and unable to get back to their homes in the Gaza strip.

The Israeli army has closed all commercial and border crossing points of the Gaza Strip, comlpetly sealing it.

A United Nations report clearly states that unless Israel allows food, full and medical supplies to enter the Gaza Strip, a very severe humanitarian crises will hit the Strip within the coming few weeks. Israel has allowed a small amount of supplies to enter the strip, but UN reported that those amounts are not enough to avoid the expected humanitarian crises.

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