Hamas runs out of passports

Monday August 18, 2008 17:06 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

The Hamas-run interior ministry announced on Monday that they have run out of passports, including those needed for urgent cases.

A statement released by the Palestinian ministry accused the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah of preventing shipment of passports to the Gaza Strip. They warned of the negative consqequences to medical patients and students' that resulted from this prevention.

" The authority in Ramallah is responsible for preventing access of passports to Gaza, and this affirms the fact that the Ramallah's authority is behind the continued closure of Gaza crossings including the Rafah crossing terminal".

To deal with the problem, the ministry began renewing expired passports of Gaza residents, who intend to travel abroad.

All Gaza crossings including the Rafah crossing terminal have remained closed for more than 14 months, from when Israel enforced first imposed the blockade following the Hamas' seizure of Gaza.

Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, outlawed Hamas after the takeover, ordering a boycott of the party and forming a caretaker government in Ramallah.

gaza strip | miscellaneous | news report rami at imemc dot org