Hamas to take control of the crossing with Egypt

Hamas announced Friday that it plans to take control of Gaza's crossing with Egypt. The crossing has been closed since the outbreak of fighting earlier this week. Under an Israeli-Palestinian agreement, it was monitored by European observers. It is not clear whether the monitors or Israel would accept such an arrangement.

In the past, the crossing was patrolled by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Presidential Guard, one of the forces defeated in a five-day battle with Hamas. (AP)