Rafah crossing closes after opening for four days

Egyptian authorities closed the Rafah crossing with Gaza on Friday after opening it for four days to allow emergency cases through, reported Palestinian news agency Ma’an news.

While it was open 2579 humanitarian cases left Gaza and 3178 people entered the coastal territory, said Iyam al-Bazem, spokesperson for the ministry of interior.

Egypt, however, stopped 146 Palestinians from leaving Gaza, he said.

Around 17,000 Palestinians urgently need to leave the territory, either for medical treatment or to continue their studies abroad, Bazem added.

Egypt did not say when the crossing would next open.

Egypt did not say when the crossing would next open.

The Rafah crossing is Gaza's only connection to the outside world. It has been closed almost permanently since October 2014, heavily restricting those who can enter or leave the Gaza Strip.

Egypt closed the border after relations soured between the Gazan and Egyptian leaderships after the overthrow of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and the ensuing crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood and its followers.

Egypt has linked instability in the Sinai peninsula to Gaza causing it to isolate the strip.

During this period it has shut down hundreds of smuggling tunnels that served as a lifeline for Gazans .