Egypt reopens Gaza crossing for first time in months for Hajj pilgrims

Egypt reopened its border with the Gaza Strip on Monday for the first time in months to allow Muslims from the blockaded Palestinian enclave to travel to Mecca for the annual Hajj pilgrimage, authorities said.

"The crossing was reopened this morning for four days in one direction for 2,500 pilgrims," Hisham Adwan, director of information at the crossings authority of the Hamas-run interior ministry, said.

"About 800 pilgrims will leave the strip today," he added, saying they had all already received Saudi visas.

The Rafah crossing with Egypt has been largely closed in recent years apart from occasional openings.

Israel has also maintained a crippling blockade on Gaza for a decade that it says is necessary to stop Islamist movement Hamas, which rules the strip, from obtaining weapons or materials that could be used to make them.

The siege has had a catostrophic effect on the population, stuggling with shortages of power, building materials, and medicine.

Egypt is the only other country with which the strip has a land border. Egyptian authorities accuse Hamas of supporting Islamist factions in the country.

But Hamas has moved closer to the Egyptian government in recent months and officials privately hope the Rafah crossing will be at least partially re-opened from next month.