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| Egypt watches Gaza traffic go on | Egypt watches Gaza traffic go on |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Thousands of Gazans are pouring into Egypt for a fourth day, despite Egyptian attempts to reseal the border. | 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. |
| Hamas, which rules Gaza, reacted to Israeli attempts to isolate the hostile territory with a blockade by blowing open Gaza's border with Egypt. | Hamas, which rules Gaza, reacted to Israeli attempts to isolate the hostile territory with a blockade by blowing open Gaza's border with Egypt. |
| Hopes for talks between Hamas and its rival Fatah to tackle the crisis have been dealt a blow. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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 |
| 'Let us live' | 'Let us live' |
| On Saturday, Gazans continued to stream over the border to Egypt. | On Saturday, Gazans continued to stream over the border to Egypt. |
| 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 future href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7210650.stm">Breach puts Egypt on the spot class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=4131&edition=1">Send us your comments | |
| 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. | 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. |
| "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 alarm | Israel 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. |
| 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 crisis | |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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 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". | 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". |
| Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri denounced the move, saying it amounted to a "rejection" of a talks initiative. | 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. | 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. | 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. | The two are engaged in a new US-backed peace process that has excluded - and is rejected by - Hamas. |
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