Border between Gaza and Egypt reopens

GAZA, July 18: The Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt temporarily reopened today to allow Palestinians who were stranded on the Egyptian side to return home, European monitors at the crossing said.

At least 2,000 Palestinians were waiting to make the crossing.

Many have been trapped on the Egyptian side of the border crossing since June 25, when Palestinian militants seised an Israeli soldier in a cross-border raid.

The raid prompted Israel to launch a major ground and air offensive in Gaza.

A spokeswoman for the European monitors at the crossing said the terminal would stay open for 11 hours today. The crossing was only open for Palestinians traveling from Egypt into Gaza, and only for those deemed ''humanitarian cases''.

On Friday, gunmen with the ruling Hamas movement blew a hole in the border wall, allowing nearly 1,000 Palestinians to return to Gaza.

Western diplomats said Israel prevented Rafah from opening by keeping European monitors from getting to the terminal, citing security concerns.

Palestinians technically control the crossing but its operations can be blocked by Israel.

REUTERS