Rafah border crossing remains open for 3rd day

CAIRO – 16 August 2017: Rafah border crossing was opened for the third consecutive day by the Egyptian authorities Wednesday morning, allowing Palestinian Muslim pilgrims to reach Cairo international airport from where they will travel to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Two buses crossed since opening the border early this morning, according to official sources to Egypt Today. Others were also reported to cross though for humanitarian and legal causes, including foreigners who do not have legal accommodation papers.
The crossing is supposed to remain open until Thursday.

On August 14, Palestinian Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs Youssef Deabes told the press that the total number of Palestinians crossing for pilgrimage is 2,640. The first group, which passed on Monday, included 789, while 17 were returned to Gaza Strip for security reasons.

The Islamic pilgrimage (hajj) follows the Islamic lunar calendar, coinciding in 2017 with August 30 through September 4.