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Erez border crossing closed after Gaza 'rocket fire'


GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli authorities Tuesday briefly closed the Erez border crossing into Gaza after a rocket was allegedly fired toward Israel from the coastal enclave but fell short of the border.

The Israeli army said that rocket sirens sounded in southern Israel early Tuesday morning, but it was believed the rocket "fell short inside the Gaza Strip."

An Israeli army spokeswoman said that Israeli forces were searching the border area.

The Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) later closed the Erez bording crossing between Israel and the northern Gaza Strip, allowing only "humanitarian cases" to pass.

A COGAT spokeswoman said that the crossing was closed between 8 and 10 a.m., "because the army had to search the place, because last night rockets were fired close to the Erez crossing."

She said that Israeli soldiers "had to check that there was no danger."

She added that Palestinian fighters "cannot shoot rockets everywhere and expect the crossing to be open," adding that the rockets posed a danger to both Palestinians using the crossing and the staff working there. more

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