Hundreds stranded as Egyptian police refuse to open Rafah crossing

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EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma'an) -- Hundreds of Palestinian travelers were stranded at Rafah crossing on Gaza's border on Saturday as Egyptian police refused to open the terminal, in protest over the kidnapping of their colleagues.

Meanwhile, Egyptian security forces closed the airport and seaport in el-Arish on Saturday, also in protest over the kidnapping of seven Egyptian police and soldiers on Thursday in Sinai.

Egypt's Interior Minister Mohammad Ibrahim dispatched his assistant to Rafah to convince police to reopen the crossing, but police refused to let the ministry official enter the terminal, a Ma'an reporter said.

The minister's assistant spoke with police at the crossing gates, and the officers told him they would not reopen the border until their colleagues were released. more

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