Egypt reopens Rafah crossing

Egyptian authorities on Wednesday reopened the Rafah border crossing linking Egypt with the Gaza Strip following seven days of closure, an Egyptian official said. "People are now crossing from the Egyptian side and they are finishing relevant procedures," an official source at the Rafah crossing was quoted by Egypt's official news agency (MENA) as saying. The Egyptian move came upon request from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to allow stranded and sick Palestinians to use the crossing, the source added. Egypt had closed the border crossing from both sides following two recent bombings targeting military facilities in North Sinai. The Rafah crossing represents Gaza's only gateway to the outside world, as all other points into or out of the coastal enclave remain blocked by Israel