Gaza
Egyptian riot police gathered Thursday morning at the border with the Gaza Strip directing traffic away from the frontier fence. Dozens of Egyptian police in helmets and with search dogs used batons to beat the hoods of private cars and pickup trucks that massed at the border to carry Palestinians further into Egyptian territory. US and Arab officials said Wednesday that Egypt had assurred the US it would soon reseal its border with the Gaza Strip. Egyptian security forces have been deployed south of El Arish to prevent Palestinians from making their way to Cairo. President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt has instructed border guards to arrest and question any armed Palestinians who enter Sinai, but to allow those requesting to buy food and other goods in the Sinai to enter and return to the Gaza Strip. The Al Jazeera television network reported Thursday that Egyptian doctors entered the Gaza Strip on Wednesday to conduct operations at local hospitals. Meanwhile, Israel will not allow trucks to transfer goods Thursday at the Kerem Shalom crossing. Security sources said that the decision was taken following the tearing down of the border fence between Egypt and Gaza. The sources said there is no doubt that among those who left the Gaza Strip were terrorists who are likely to try to return with arms and money. Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai says that Israel would like to sever its remaining connections with the Hamas- controlled Gaza Strip. In a radio interview, Vilnai said that once Gaza is open to the other side, Israel loses responsibility for it. Vilnai said Israel's effort to disengage from Gaza continues and that Israel wants to stop supplying water and medicine so that it would come from another place. (21,23)
