Maher Abu Sabha, the director of crossings in the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip, called Sunday for the opening of the Rafah crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt on a regular basis.

 

Abu Sabha said in a press conference held by the Palestinian side, Sunday, that the four hours during which the Egyptian authorities open the crossing are not sufficient for the passage of travelers. He pointed out that the number of travelers in both directions through the crossing from June 30 to Sunday fell more than five times compared to the same period last year .

 

He added that more than 5500 people registered as humanitarian cases with Egyptian authorities need to travel through the crossing.

 

Hundreds of Palestinian students and patients demonstrated, Sunday, on the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing against the limited traffic being allowed through the crossing.

 

The protesters demanded the opening of the crossing before the Palestinian police dispersed them.

 

Hamas leader Ghazy Hamad said that the "causes of the crisis' outbreak is that the Egyptian side does not allow more than 100 or 120 passengers at most to cross everyday, whereas the number of Palestinians accumulated on the Palestinian side awaiting admittance into Egypt are between 4000 and 5000 passengers."

 

Hamad said in statements to Al-Masry Al-Youm by phone from Gaza that the Hamas government is ready to open the crossing on its side 24 hours, but the Egyptian side is being "inflexible."

 

There have been tensions between Hamas and the Egyptian authorities following the ouster of President Mohamed Morsy.