Reply #6: Egyptian forces renew effort to seal breached Gaza frontier [View All]

[Scurrilous]

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"Egyptian forces moved to close their breached border with the Gaza Strip by stopping vehicle traffic Sunday and further tightening their security cordon around the small frontier town of Rafah in effort to contain Palestinians crossing freely into Egypt for the fifth day in a row.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said Sunday Egypt would take steps to control its border with the Gaza Strip as soon as possible. A Foreign Ministry statement provided no further details.

Egyptian forces blocked one of the gaps carved into the border wall with piles of sand and border police carrying electric cattle prods at other openings stopped cars with Palestinian plates from entering Egypt and Egyptians cars from crossing into Gaza. Pedestrians, however, continued to move back and forth freely.

Egyptian border guards were now authorized to return fire if attacked, said a security official speaking on customary condition of anonymity on the Egyptian side of Rafah."

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