Palestinians stranded at Al Oja border terminal call for swift resolution to their plight

Tuesday August 28, 2007 13:08 by Wisam Afifa - IMEMC News

The Hamas movement has condemned the treatment of those Palestinians stranded at the Beit Hanoun and Al Oja border Crossings, blaming both the Fatah-led government and the Israeli administration for their suffering.

staranded Palestinains wait to cross Rafah border terminal

Palestinians stranded at Cairo airport presented a petition to the officials to bring an end to their continued plight after they too had been help-up at the Al Oja border terminal.

Faouzi Barhoom, the spokesperson for the deposed Hamas stated that "the current Abbas-led government, headed by Fayyad, is using their policy to make the Al Oja border crossing a formal crossing under the full control of Israeli occupation, instead of using Rafah border terminal.”

Barhoom cited the example of the Palestinian infant, Ibrahim Abu Nahl, who recently died at the Beit Hanoun crossing while waiting to cross for medical treatment, as an example of the suffering faced by stranded Palestinians.

Barhoom placed the blame for such suffering firmly at the door of the Abbad-led, West Bank based, Fatah administration, and reiterated the desire of the Hamas movement to see the re-opening of the Rafah terminal.

He also presented a petition to all International and human right organizations to intervene to save the lives of hundreds of children and sick people by re-opening the Rafah crossing.

On Sunday, about 100 Palestinians left the Gaza Strip through the Beit Hanoun border Crossing, and then onto the Al Oja border crossing that separates Gaza and Egypt. Approximately 1000 Palestinians remain stranded in Egypt.

Translated by - Nisreen Qumsieh

gaza strip | human rights | news report nisreen at imemc dot org