Egypt to open Gaza border ahead of Eid

Gaza City, Gaza Strip: A Gaza official says Egypt is opening its border crossing with the Hamas-ruled coastal territory for three days ahead of a major Muslim holiday this weekend. Maher Abu Sabha of the Gaza border authority says the crossing will open to traffic in both directions later on Tuesday. [caption id=“attachment_417662” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Reuters.[/caption] Egypt closed the passage last week, after Islamic militants in Egypt’s Sinai desert near Gaza killed 16 Egyptian troops. Egypt has suggested the assailants had help from Gaza, a claim Hamas denies. Hamas and Egypt’s president, Mohammed Morsi, belong to the same region-wide Muslim Brotherhood, but tensions between them are growing. Gaza Interior Minister Fathi Hamad demanded a full reopening of the crossing, saying that while Gaza suffered under Morsi’s predecessor, Hosni Mubarak, it should not be made to suffer now. AP