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Egypt watches Gaza traffic go on Egypt watches Gaza traffic go on
(about 3 hours later)
Thousands of Palestinians from Gaza are pouring into Egypt for a fourth day, after Egyptian attempts to reseal the border failed on Friday. Thousands of Gazans are pouring into Egypt for a fourth day, despite Egyptian attempts to reseal the border.
For the first time many Palestinians were using cars to cross, rather than going on foot.For the first time many Palestinians were using cars to cross, rather than going on foot.
Gazans are going to Egypt to stock up on supplies because of an Israeli blockade of their territory. Hamas, which rules Gaza, reacted to Israeli attempts to isolate the hostile territory with a blockade by blowing open Gaza's border with Egypt.
Israel has said the blockade is necessary to try to halt rocket fire into Israel from Gaza. Hopes for talks between Hamas and its rival Fatah to tackle the crisis have been dealt a blow.
In a speech, President Mahmoud Abbas reiterated he would only talk to Hamas if it retreated from its June takeover of the Gaza Strip.
Hamas, which had indicated it would accept an invitation to talks, says this insistence effectively sabotages any prospect of negotiations.
This Gaza crisis began nine days ago, when Israel cut off the seaside territory, denying it supplies. It said it was aiming to subdue rocket fire from Gaza, but its actions were widely condemned.
Map of the Egypt-Gaza border area Map of the Egypt-Gaza border area
But it had faced accusations of imposing illegal "collective punishment" on residents of Gaza, which is controlled by the Islamist group Hamas. 'Let us live'
Traffic On Saturday, Gazans continued to stream over the border to Egypt.
On Friday, Egyptian police withdrew from the border area after violent skirmishes with Gazans, some of whom used a bulldozer to tear down parts of the border fence.
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 Crisis key to Gaza futureIsrael torn over Gaza roleSend us your commentsEGYPT-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 Crisis key to Gaza futureIsrael torn over Gaza roleSend us your comments
There appeared to be no attempt to halt the stream of cross-border traffic on Saturday, with AP news agency reporting only two guards present at the main crossing. Egyptian riot police failed in a bid to close the border on Friday, and the news agency Associated Press said on Saturday that another attempt by riot police to deny access to the border by forming human chains was also abandoned.
It said as well as Palestinians travelling into Egypt to stock up, and even to visit an Egyptian resort, some Egyptian vehicles were seen transporting supplies into Gaza.
"If only they would let us live, breathe a bit. Don't shut the border on us," shouted Mariam al-Shal, a Palestinian woman from the Khan Yunis refugee camp in Gaza, according to AFP news agency."If only they would let us live, breathe a bit. Don't shut the border on us," shouted Mariam al-Shal, a Palestinian woman from the Khan Yunis refugee camp in Gaza, according to AFP news agency.
Hundreds of thousands of people have surged into Egypt to buy supplies since the first breaches in the border wall were made on Wednesday.Hundreds of thousands of people have surged into Egypt to buy supplies since the first breaches in the border wall were made on Wednesday.
The UN has estimated that as much as half of Gaza's 1.5 million population has crossed the border in defiance of Israel's blockade, which was recently tightened leading to acute shortages.The UN has estimated that as much as half of Gaza's 1.5 million population has crossed the border in defiance of Israel's blockade, which was recently tightened leading to acute shortages.
Israel alarmIsrael alarm
Israel, alarmed at the ongoing breakdown in security on the Egypt-Gaza border, has closed the main road running along the border. Tourism sites and hiking trails have been closed.Israel, alarmed at the ongoing breakdown in security on the Egypt-Gaza border, has closed the main road running along the border. Tourism sites and hiking trails have been closed.
Security measures have been increased, according to the Israeli military, on fears that Israeli citizens could be vulnerable to attacks by Palestinians now free to travel in the area.
But Friday's failed bid by Egyptian riot police to plug gaps in the border was a humiliating setback for Cairo, which must now decide how to respond, say correspondents.
Hamas said it respected Egypt's decision to close the border but it did nothing to assist the Egyptians on the ground.
Talks
Late on Friday, the United Nations Security Council failed to reach agreement on a state of "deep concern" about the situation.
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 Timeline: Blockade crisisGaza diary: Day ThreeIn pictures: Border day threeGAZA 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 Timeline: Blockade crisisGaza diary: Day ThreeIn pictures: Border day three
A statement calling for talks had been in the council all week, but was finally blocked by Libya, which currently chairs the Security Council. Security measures have been increased, according to the Israeli military, on fears that Israeli citizens could be vulnerable to attacks by Palestinians now free to travel in the area.
Meanwhile, confusion surrounds reports that Egypt's president offered to host talks for rival Palestinian groups. The breaching of the border has blown a big hole in the policy of trying to weaken Hamas by isolating it and sealing it in, says BBC analyst Sebastian Usher.
Hamas's leader in exile, Khaled Meshaal, told Reuters news agency his group would seek to make the dialogue a success. Some new system of controlling the border must now be found and it seems unlikely that this can be achieved without Hamas's involvement and agreement, he says.
But the Egyptian foreign ministry told the BBC by text message that reports that Hosni Mubarak had invited Hamas and Fatah to Cairo for discussions were "not accurate". But in his speech on Saturday, Mr Abbas reduced the prospect of talks with his Hamas rivals when he repeated demands that they reverse their takeover of Gaza, which he called a "crime".
Correspondents say the incursions by hundreds of thousands of Gazans are forcing Egypt, Israel and the international community to rethink their policy of trying to weaken the Hamas leadership by keeping the territory sealed. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri denounced the move, saying it amounted to a "rejection" of a talks initiative.
Mr Abbas also urged Gazans to stop firing rockets into southern Israel, saying it gave Israel an "excuse" to punish the territory.
He said he would renew his offer to take control of Gaza's border crossings instead of Hamas during talks with the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday.
The two are engaged in a new US-backed peace process that has excluded - and is rejected by - Hamas.
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