"These measures are the right decision in the right direction"

The siege on the Gaza Strip, maintained by Israel and Egypt for the past four years, will soon be significantly relaxed as the Egyptian authorities have announced that Rafah border crossing will be opened next Saturday permanently to facilitate the movement of Palestinian citizens and to improve the humanitarian situation in the blockaded strip.

The Islamic Hamas movement on Thursday welcomed in an interior ministry statement the Egyptian decision. "These measures are the right decision in the right direction, and will facilitate the life of the population and ease their suffering," said the Hamas statement.

However, Israel’s Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilani called the opening of Rafah "very problematic." Speaking to Israel Radio, the minister said that Egypt's decision "symbolizes the first stage of a very problematic system for Israel."

Egyptian Sources pointed out that Rafah crossing will be opened six days a week from 9:am till 5:pm.

In the same context, sources mentioned on Wednesday that such procedures will be taken in order to facilitate access of the Palestinian citizens of Gaza Strip to the Egyptian territories. Sources explained that Egypt will allow the transfer of children, Palestinian women of all ages, and men under 18 or over 40 without prior coordination.

Palestinians who are between 18 and 40 and seek entry to Egypt need to obtain prior coordination from the Egyptian embassy in Ramallah in the West Bank.

In El-Arish, the largest city in northern Sinai, residents are also awaiting the opening of the border. El-Arish, which sits less than 30 minutes from Gaza, is a blend of Egyptian, Palestinian, and Bedouin influences, and its economy is closely linked with that of the coastal enclave.