Egypt has opened its border crossing with the Gaza Strip at Rafah for two days as a goodwill gesture before the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, said Palestinian officials on Saturday.
However, only people with urgent medical treatment and foreign residency permits are being allowed to cross over to Egypt, they added.
Egyptian and Palestinian officials said that some 1,000 people, mostly Egyptians stranded in Gaza since January, have crossed the border into Egypt so far, while about 500 people returned to Gaza from Egypt
Israel as well as Egypt had closed their border crossings to the Gaza Strip after the militant group Hamas seized control of the coastal territory in June 2007, allowing only humanitarian aid and basic supplies to pass through.
Currently, Egypt is mediating a cease-fire deal between the Hamas and Israel, which is aimed at ending the increasing violence in the region. The proposed cease-fire deal requires the halting of Palestinian rocket attacks on Israeli territory in return for Israel's lifting of its blockade.
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April 17, 2026 15:29 ET The ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to raise concerns for policymakers who worry about the impact of the supply shock and high energy prices on the real economy. Producer price data and various survey results on the housing market were the main news from the U.S. this week. In Europe, industrial production data for the euro area gained attention. GDP figures out of China and the policy move by the Singapore central bank were in focus in Asia.