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Gazans blow up Egypt border wall Gazans blow up Egypt border wall
(10 minutes later)
Thousands of Palestinians have surged into Egypt from the Gaza Strip after masked militants blew several holes in a border wall.Thousands of Palestinians have surged into Egypt from the Gaza Strip after masked militants blew several holes in a border wall.
Gazans rushed to buy food, fuel and other supplies that have become scarce because of an Israeli blockade - aimed at stopping rocket attacks from Gaza.Gazans rushed to buy food, fuel and other supplies that have become scarce because of an Israeli blockade - aimed at stopping rocket attacks from Gaza.
Egypt has backed the closure and the militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza, has urged it to open its border. The militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza, has urged Egypt to open its border, which had remained closed.
Egyptian border guards took no action against the raid, eyewitnesses said. Egyptian police have so far taken no action against the influx from Gaza.
Gaza has been short of fuel and other essential goods since last week, when Israel imposed the blockade. The Gaza Strip has been short of fuel and other essential goods since last week, when Israel imposed the blockade.
We want to buy food, we want to buy rice and sugar, milk and wheat and some cheese Ibrahim Abu TahaGaza resident class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7204102.stm">In pictures: Border breached It was eased slightly on Tuesday to allow some fuel and medicines through. It was eased slightly on Tuesday to allow some fuel and medicines through.
Early on Wednesday gunmen set off a number of explosions along the wall on the border. We want to buy rice and sugar, milk and wheat and some cheese Ibrahim Abu TahaGaza resident class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7204102.stm">In pictures: border breached class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7203040.stm">'Wartime' on Israeli border
Among the thousands of Gazans who crossed into Egypt near the town of Rafah was Ibrahim Abu Taha, a father of seven. Early on Wednesday gunmen set off a number of explosions along the wall near the Rafah crossing.
"We want to buy food, we want to buy rice and sugar, milk and wheat and some cheese," he told the Associated Press news agency. The BBC's Ian Pannell, who is on the Egyptian side of the border, says thousands of Palestinians have crossed through the breached wall and were stocking up on essentials, petrol and cigarettes.
Among them was Ibrahim Abu Taha, a father of seven, who told the Associated Press news agency:
"We want to buy food, we want to buy rice and sugar, milk and wheat and some cheese."
Water cannonWater cannon
Earlier on Wednesday, a Hamas militant was killed during an exchange of fire near Gaza's border with Israel, Palestinian officials said. In 2005, Hamas militants blew up holes in the border with Egypt following the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip.
Both incidents came a day after 60 women were injured when Egyptian police broke up a protest against the siege at the Rafah crossing. class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/3702088.stm">Gaza's rocket threat to Israel class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/5122404.stm">Profile: Gaza Strip class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7203458.stm">Gaza diary: Day One
class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/3702088.stm">Gaza's rocket threat to Israel class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7203040.stm">'Wartime' on Israeli border class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7203458.stm">Gaza diary: Day One Wednesday's scenes at the Rafah crossing come a day after Egyptian police broke up a protest there by women.
The police had fired into the air and used water cannon to drive back Palestinian women who tried to surge across the border.
Hundreds of Palestinians had demanded the crossing be reopened to allow the passage of vital supplies made scarce by the blockade.
In New York on Tuesday, Israeli and Palestinian envoys had clashed at the United Nations Security Council during a debate on Israel's blockade.In New York on Tuesday, Israeli and Palestinian envoys had clashed at the United Nations Security Council during a debate on Israel's blockade.
The Palestinian UN observer accused Israel of fuelling violence, while the Israeli envoy said his country had to protect its people from rocket attacks.The Palestinian UN observer accused Israel of fuelling violence, while the Israeli envoy said his country had to protect its people from rocket attacks.
The council was considering a call for Israel to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza freely.The council was considering a call for Israel to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza freely.
Tuesday's day-long council debate had been requested by Arab and Islamic states amid a growing international outcry at what the European Union termed the "collective punishment" of Gaza's 1.5m residents.Tuesday's day-long council debate had been requested by Arab and Islamic states amid a growing international outcry at what the European Union termed the "collective punishment" of Gaza's 1.5m residents.
But Israeli representative Gilad Cohen denied that Israel was violating international law.But Israeli representative Gilad Cohen denied that Israel was violating international law.
"It is the duty of all states to ensure the right to life and safety of its people, especially from vicious acts of violence and terrorism," he said, adding that Israel would "ensure the humanitarian welfare" of Gaza."It is the duty of all states to ensure the right to life and safety of its people, especially from vicious acts of violence and terrorism," he said, adding that Israel would "ensure the humanitarian welfare" of Gaza.