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| Gazans make new border wall hole | Gazans make new border wall hole |
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| Palestinians have bulldozed down part of the Gaza-Egypt border wall again, hours after Egyptian troops blocked holes recently made by militants. | Palestinians have bulldozed down part of the Gaza-Egypt border wall again, hours after Egyptian troops blocked holes recently made by militants. |
| Guards with riot shields stood by and then pulled out of the border areas completely as Palestinians swarmed through the newly-demolished barrier. | Guards with riot shields stood by and then pulled out of the border areas completely as Palestinians swarmed through the newly-demolished barrier. |
| Hundreds of thousands have surged into Egypt to buy supplies since the first breaches were made on Wednesday. | Hundreds of thousands have surged into Egypt to buy supplies since the first breaches were made on Wednesday. |
| Recently Israel tightened a blockade of Gaza, leading to acute shortages there. | Recently Israel tightened a blockade of Gaza, leading to acute shortages there. |
| Israel imposed the embargo after numerous rocket attacks from Gaza on its southern towns. | Israel imposed the embargo after numerous rocket attacks from Gaza on its southern towns. |
| Map of the Egypt-Gaza border area | Map of the Egypt-Gaza border area |
| The UN has estimated that as much as half of Gaza's 1.5 million population has crossed the border in defiance of the blockade. | The UN has estimated that as much as half of Gaza's 1.5 million population has crossed the border in defiance of the blockade. |
| Barbed wire | Barbed wire |
| The large yellow bulldozer was driven to the border from the Gaza side, ploughing headlong into the border fence. | The large yellow bulldozer was driven to the border from the Gaza side, ploughing headlong into the border fence. |
| Police used water cannon to push people back from the border | |
| The BBC's Ian Pannell at the border says Egyptian security forces seem to have given up their efforts to stop the Palestinians streaming through. | The BBC's Ian Pannell at the border says Egyptian security forces seem to have given up their efforts to stop the Palestinians streaming through. |
| People were continuing to ferry essential goods such as petrol and cooking oil back into Gaza, as they have for the past two days, eyewitnesses said. | |
| Egypt had tried to close the border but extra troops failed to stem the crowds. | Egypt had tried to close the border but extra troops failed to stem the crowds. |
| The Islamist movement Hamas, which controls Gaza, said it supported Egypt's decision to close the border. | The Islamist movement Hamas, which controls Gaza, said it supported Egypt's decision to close the border. |
| Israel has demanded Egypt take action, as it is worried about arms smuggling. | Israel has demanded Egypt take action, as it is worried about arms smuggling. |
| But the latest incident is a humiliating setback for Cairo, which must now decide how to respond, our correspondent says. | But the latest incident is a humiliating setback for Cairo, which must now decide how to respond, our correspondent says. |
| Egypt may now have to consider talks with Hamas, which it has previously ruled out, he adds. | Egypt may now have to consider talks with Hamas, which it has previously ruled out, he adds. |
| It is an international border, it needs to be protected US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Israel torn over Gaza roleViewpoints: Sderot and RafahIn pictures: Border day threeSend us your comments | |
| The new breach came hours after Egyptian security forces had begun to stop Palestinians from entering their country while at the same time allowing people back into Gaza. | The new breach came hours after Egyptian security forces had begun to stop Palestinians from entering their country while at the same time allowing people back into Gaza. |
| Riot police armed with electric batons attempted to seal the breach, while water cannons were aimed above the heads of the jostling crowd after some Palestinians threw stones. | Riot police armed with electric batons attempted to seal the breach, while water cannons were aimed above the heads of the jostling crowd after some Palestinians threw stones. |
| Live shots were also fired from both sides. | Live shots were also fired from both sides. |
| Egyptian border guards meanwhile began placing piles of barbed wire and chain-link fences along the border in an attempt to re-seal it. | Egyptian border guards meanwhile began placing piles of barbed wire and chain-link fences along the border in an attempt to re-seal it. |
| Those returning from Egypt said police had been using loudspeakers to announce in several nearby towns that the border would be resealed later in the afternoon. | Those returning from Egypt said police had been using loudspeakers to announce in several nearby towns that the border would be resealed later in the afternoon. |
| EGYPT-GAZA BORDER 12km (7.4 miles) longEgyptian side patrolled by 750 soldiers under 2005 agreement with IsraelBorder crossing terminal south of town of RafahPA control of terminal under EU supervision collapsed after Hamas takeover of Gaza in June 2007 Border closed almost continuously since Gaza diary: Day ThreeGaza's rocket threat to Israel'Wartime' on Israeli border | EGYPT-GAZA BORDER 12km (7.4 miles) longEgyptian side patrolled by 750 soldiers under 2005 agreement with IsraelBorder crossing terminal south of town of RafahPA control of terminal under EU supervision collapsed after Hamas takeover of Gaza in June 2007 Border closed almost continuously since Gaza diary: Day ThreeGaza's rocket threat to Israel'Wartime' on Israeli border |
| Hamas, the Islamist movement which seized control of Gaza in June, has said it supports Egypt's decision to close the border. It has denied any involvement in the new breach. | Hamas, the Islamist movement which seized control of Gaza in June, has said it supports Egypt's decision to close the border. It has denied any involvement in the new breach. |
| But unless the group agrees to help police the border, it will be very difficult to keep it closed, our correspondent says. | But unless the group agrees to help police the border, it will be very difficult to keep it closed, our correspondent says. |
| The move by the Egyptian authorities came only hours after the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, urged them to secure the border with Gaza. | The move by the Egyptian authorities came only hours after the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, urged them to secure the border with Gaza. |
| On Thursday evening, Ms Rice said she understood Egypt's position was "difficult", but said: "It is an international border, it needs to be protected and I believe that the Egyptians understand the importance of doing that." | On Thursday evening, Ms Rice said she understood Egypt's position was "difficult", but said: "It is an international border, it needs to be protected and I believe that the Egyptians understand the importance of doing that." |
| Later, Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki promised the border would "go back as normal". | Later, Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki promised the border would "go back as normal". |
| Heightened alert | Heightened alert |
| Israel has stepped up its security since the border fence was destroyed, with citizens warned against travelling to the Sinai peninsula in Egypt. | Israel has stepped up its security since the border fence was destroyed, with citizens warned against travelling to the Sinai peninsula in Egypt. |
| GAZA BLOCKADE 17 January: Israel seals border following rise in rocket attacks20 January: Gaza's only power plant shuts down22 January: Israel eases restrictions22 January: Egyptian border guards disperse Palestinian protest against closure23 January: Border wall breached Blockade incites press angerEgypt faces Gaza surgeProfile: Gaza Strip | GAZA BLOCKADE 17 January: Israel seals border following rise in rocket attacks20 January: Gaza's only power plant shuts down22 January: Israel eases restrictions22 January: Egyptian border guards disperse Palestinian protest against closure23 January: Border wall breached Blockade incites press angerEgypt faces Gaza surgeProfile: Gaza Strip |
| A spokesman for public security minister Avi Dichter told the Associated Press news agency that police were on increased alert, because of "intelligence warnings that terrorists will infiltrate Israel". | A spokesman for public security minister Avi Dichter told the Associated Press news agency that police were on increased alert, because of "intelligence warnings that terrorists will infiltrate Israel". |
| It is also worried that militant groups based in Gaza will have taken advantage of the freedom of movement to bolster their weapons stores. | It is also worried that militant groups based in Gaza will have taken advantage of the freedom of movement to bolster their weapons stores. |
| Overnight on Thursday, the Israeli military carried out two air strikes near the border, killing four suspected Hamas militants. | Overnight on Thursday, the Israeli military carried out two air strikes near the border, killing four suspected Hamas militants. |
| The commander of the Islamist movement's military wing in Rafah, Mohammed Abu Harb, was killed along with another senior militant when Israeli missiles hit their jeep in the town, Palestinian medics said. | The commander of the Islamist movement's military wing in Rafah, Mohammed Abu Harb, was killed along with another senior militant when Israeli missiles hit their jeep in the town, Palestinian medics said. |
| Another two other members of the group were killed two hours earlier in an Israeli air strike on a truck in southern Rafah. | Another two other members of the group were killed two hours earlier in an Israeli air strike on a truck in southern Rafah. |
| Israel has killed more than 40 Palestinians in Gaza during the past 10 days. | Israel has killed more than 40 Palestinians in Gaza during the past 10 days. |
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