EU to cut down mission at Gaza-Egypt border

JERUSALEM, July 7 (Reuters) The European Union's monitoring mission at the Rafah border between Gaza and Egypt will be reduced because it is unclear when the crossing will be reopened, a mission spokeswoman said today.

Some 87 EU monitors and supervisors have been overseeing the Rafah crossing with Egypt under an agreement that took effect in November 2005 to help open up Gaza after Israel withdrew from the territory nearly two years ago.

The spokeswoman said the number of monitors based in Israel would be cut back because Rafah has been closed since June 9 and because of the uncertainty about the future of the crossing following Hamas's seizure of the Gaza Strip on June 14.

''We are not foreseeing a return to normalcy'' in the near future, the spokeswoman said. She added that enough of the monitors would remain on standby to reopen the crossing on short notice if the situation allows.

''We are maintaining ... our full operational capabilities in case the border is reopened,'' she said. It is unclear how many of the European monitors will be sent home.

Hamas Islamists seized control of Gaza after weeks of fierce fighting with forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, leader of the secular Fatah faction.

The European Union, the United States and Israel consider Hamas a ''terrorist'' organisation.

Palestinian Information Minister Riyad al-Malki said he would travel to the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing on Sunday to visit thousands of Palestinians stranded there.

''There are many sick people who need care,'' he said.

Since Hamas's takeover, Gaza's main border crossings have largely been closed, including the Rafah crossing with Egypt, drawing criticism from some aid groups.

Proposals to open Israel's Kerem Shalom crossing, instead of Rafah, to allow thousands of Palestinians to reenter Gaza ran into opposition last week from Hamas.

REUTERS SV VC1742