Palestinians 'happy to return to Gaza'

Dozens of Palestinians who return to Strip after being stranded on Egyptian side of Rafah crossing, find it difficult to hide their joy. 'The conditions in Sinai were difficult. We had to look for food and for a place to stay,' one of them says

Ali Waked|Published: 07.29.07 , 23:16

The dozens of Palestinians stranded for weeks in Egypt after the Hamas takeover of Gaza Strip crossed the Erez crossing on Sunday evening and were happily greeted by their family members.

The violent Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip last month triggered the closure of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, which was run by Palestinian security with European supervision and Israeli security in the background - stranding about 6,000 Palestinians on the Egyptian side.

Headed Home

Palestinians return from Egypt to Gaza

Ali Waked and AP

More than 100 Palestinians stranded for weeks in Egypt cross into Israel through Nitzana checkpoint, where they take buses to crossing point between Jewish state, northern Strip. As first people arrive in Erez crossing, explosion takes place nearby, caused by malfunction during attempt to launch Qassam rocket

Palestinians return from Egypt to Gaza

On Sunday, the Palestinians left the Egyptian town of el-Arish toward the Nitzana crossing, and were taken by buses to the Strip.

Among those who returned to Gaza were Abu Mahmoud Abdel Aal, his wife and his four children. Abdel Aal had been working at the United Arab Emirates and was forced to stay on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing because he could not return to his home in the Gaza Strip.

Happy to be back (Photo: Reuters)

Abdel Aal, said that during the time his family was in Egypt they were forced to spend a lot of money on food and lodging. "But the most difficult part was to provide for the children, among thousands of people stranded in the same place with nothing to do."

Life in Sinai was filled with uncertainty, he said. "We did not know if and when we would enter the Gaza Strip. We did not know what to do with the children and what to tell them. The conditions there were difficult. We had to look for food and a place to stay. Today we traveled a lot and underwent security checks by the Israelis."

Palestinians on their way to Gaza (Photo: Tsafrir Abayov)

Abu Ziad, who returned to his home from Egypt, said, "I am happy to be back in Gaza. I already ran out of money and was afraid that I would have to spend the night on the street until I will be able to return home."

Muhammad Nejar, a electrical engineer who worked and studied in Turkey, was also allowed to return to his home. Nejar said that he spent 25 days on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing, where conditions were unbearable.

"People lived in tents, and apart from the aid we received from the Arab doctors organization, we did not receive any help," he said.

Nejar also had complaints against Israel. "We were stopped at a number of IDF checkpoints, and each time they asked the same question and carried out the same search. It was very exhausting, and all I want to do now is rest."