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Gunfire at Egypt's Gaza crossing | Gunfire at Egypt's Gaza crossing |
(40 minutes later) | |
Egyptian security guards have fired into the air and used water cannon to drive back Palestinian women who tried to surge across the border from Gaza. | Egyptian security guards have fired into the air and used water cannon to drive back Palestinian women who tried to surge across the border from Gaza. |
Hundreds of Palestinians demanded the Rafah crossing to Egypt be reopened for vital supplies that are scarce because of Israel's blockade of Gaza. | Hundreds of Palestinians demanded the Rafah crossing to Egypt be reopened for vital supplies that are scarce because of Israel's blockade of Gaza. |
A number of people were injured, mostly in scuffles, but several were seriously hurt, according to reports. | |
It came as Israel eased a four-day Gaza lockdown by allowing fuel deliveries. | |
The UN Security Council met in an emergency session on Tuesday to discuss the Gaza crisis. | |
Rocket attacks | |
Since Hamas seized control of Gaza last June, the Rafah crossing has remained closed for most of the time at Israel's insistence. | Since Hamas seized control of Gaza last June, the Rafah crossing has remained closed for most of the time at Israel's insistence. |
class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/3702088.stm">Gaza's rocket threat to Israel class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7201524.stm">What now for Hamas? class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7201569.stm">Anger in regional press | |
But violence broke out as Palestinians clashed with Egyptian security forces at the terminal, Gaza's only border post that bypasses Israel. | |
Gunfire erupted as security forces tried to stop hundreds of demonstrators breaking through to the Egyptian side. | Gunfire erupted as security forces tried to stop hundreds of demonstrators breaking through to the Egyptian side. |
One of the protesters, mother-of-five Umm Mohammed, 42, told AFP news agency: "Why doesn't Egypt open the crossing? Because [US President George W Bush] gives them dollars." | |
The trouble came as Israel said its blockade - imposed last week in response to rocket attacks from Gaza - was being eased only for Tuesday and would be reviewed after that. | |
'Fabrication' | 'Fabrication' |
The UN had warned food aid to about 860,000 Gazans could be halted within days because of the restrictions. | |
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice blamed Hamas for the lockdown but said she had urged Israel to avoid a humanitarian crisis. | US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice blamed Hamas for the lockdown but said she had urged Israel to avoid a humanitarian crisis. |
Hamas leaves a militaristic, yet diplomatic nation no choice G Uzelac, New York CityBBC News website reader Your commentsProfile: Gaza Strip | Hamas leaves a militaristic, yet diplomatic nation no choice G Uzelac, New York CityBBC News website reader Your commentsProfile: Gaza Strip |
Israel allowed lorries to deliver industrial diesel for Gaza's sole power plant on Tuesday. | Israel allowed lorries to deliver industrial diesel for Gaza's sole power plant on Tuesday. |
The Israeli foreign ministry said it would allow more fuel to be delivered in the coming days along with food and medicine. | The Israeli foreign ministry said it would allow more fuel to be delivered in the coming days along with food and medicine. |
But Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said the move was "insufficient" and called for a total end to the blockade. | But Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said the move was "insufficient" and called for a total end to the blockade. |
He said civilians in Gaza were not firing the rockets into Israel, which he labelled "futile launchings". | He said civilians in Gaza were not firing the rockets into Israel, which he labelled "futile launchings". |
The blockade forced the Nusseirat power plant to shut down on Monday, plunging Gaza City into darkness. | The blockade forced the Nusseirat power plant to shut down on Monday, plunging Gaza City into darkness. |
Gaza's only power plant is now being refuelled | |
Israel accused Hamas of "fabricating" the power shortage, saying it was still providing nearly 70% of the coastal territory's power directly. | Israel accused Hamas of "fabricating" the power shortage, saying it was still providing nearly 70% of the coastal territory's power directly. |
The Israeli government said its lockdown had stopped missile attacks - although another rocket struck the Israeli town of Sderot on Tuesday. | The Israeli government said its lockdown had stopped missile attacks - although another rocket struck the Israeli town of Sderot on Tuesday. |
But Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said: "The real crisis of our Palestinian people is the continuing siege on the Gaza Strip." | But Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said: "The real crisis of our Palestinian people is the continuing siege on the Gaza Strip." |
The European Union and international agencies have denounced Israel's border closures as illegal "collective punishment" against Gaza's 1.5m residents. | |
Israel imposed an economic embargo on Gaza after the Islamist militants of Hamas seized control of the territory from the rival Fatah group in June. |