The only crossing between Gaza and Egypt opened 72 hours ago on Tuesday, leaving people leaving the Palestinian enclave for the first time since the outbreak of the new coronavirus.
The Rafah crossing in southern Gaza was closed in March because Hamas – the group that manages the Gaza Strip – sought to protect against a major virus outbreak in the densely populated territory with weak health infrastructure.
Rafah was opened for three days in April, but only to allow Gazans stranded abroad to return home.
Iyad al-Bazam, a spokesman for Gaza’s foreign ministry, said people holding foreign passports, foreign residence permits and medical necessities “would be allowed to leave”.
Hundreds of Gazans had gathered in a waiting area before morning, ready to leave.
Gaza resident Hatem al-Mansi told AFP that although he needed medical care, he was concerned about the possibility of coronavirus infection in Egypt, which has registered 95,000 cases, compared to just 81 in Gaza.
“There is fear of being infected with COVID-19 in cars or buses in Egypt,” he told AFP. “In Gaza, we do not have that problem.”
Anyone returning from Egypt will be placed in a dedicated quarantine facility for three weeks, said the head of infection control at the Gaza Ministry of Health, Rami Al-Abadala.
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