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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Gunfire at Egypt's Gaza crossing | Gunfire at Egypt's Gaza crossing |
| (about 1 hour 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. | 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. | 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 Gaza. | |
| Rocket attacks | Rocket attacks |
| As the 15-member body met in New York, Israel said its discussions were one-sided. | |
| Gaza's rocket threat to IsraelWhat now for Hamas?Anger in regional press | Gaza's rocket threat to IsraelWhat now for Hamas?Anger in regional press |
| Its foreign ministry said in a statement: "We can't tolerate a situation where the Security Council debates only the situation of residents in the Gaza Strip and completely ignores that of Israelis living under the constant threat of Qassam rockets." | |
| Since Hamas seized control of Gaza last June, the Rafah crossing has remained mostly closed at Israel's insistence. | |
| But violence broke out as Palestinians tried to get past 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. |
| 'Fabrication' | |
| 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." | 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. | 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. |
| 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 |
| The UN had warned that 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. | |
| 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 labelled the move "insufficient" and called for a total end to the blockade. | |
| He said civilians in Gaza were not responsible for the "futile launchings" of rockets into Israel. | |
| 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 | Gaza's only power plant is now being refuelled |
| But Israel accused Hamas of "fabricating" the power shortage, saying it was still directly providing nearly 70% of the coastal territory's power. | |
| 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. | 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. | 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. |