Israel evacuates Gaza refugees to Egypt: Witness

Erez (Israel), June 21: Israel evacuated scores of Palestinians fleeing Hamas Islamists in Gaza to Egypt witnesses and military officials said, after they spent days in a border terminal.

A Reuters witness saw buses provided by the army transporting around 100 Palestinians from Erez crossing southward to the Israeli-Egyptian border yesterday.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said the passengers would cross into Egypt under a deal struck with Cairo.

The Palestinians were among some 120 people linked to the Fatah faction who fled possible reprisals after the secular Fatah was routed by Hamas Islamists in Gaza fighting last week.

After holing up at Erez, one of the Palestinians was killed and several wounded during a shootout between a Palestinian gunman and Israeli troops stationed on the border.

Israel at first balked at the Palestinians' request to leave Gaza through its territory, citing fears that there could be militants among them.

But the policy was loosened yesterday after Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak gave orders to bring out the casualties for treatment in the Jewish state.

Reuters

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