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Egypt, Hamas forces close border crossing into Gaza

Egyptian and Hamas forces closed the Gaza border yesterday after reportedly agreeing to control the frontier blown open by militants 11 days ago in a bid to break a crippling Israeli blockade.

Metal barriers and rolls of barbed wire were erected across all gaps in the border at the divided town of Rafah, again sealing off Gaza after nearly half the impoverished territory's 1.5 million population flooded into Egypt.

"No more Palestinians are being allowed in," an Egyptian security source said.

One gate remained open to allow Palestinians and Egyptians to return home, but otherwise no pedestrians or vehicles were being allowed to cross, correspondents witnessed.

Dozens of armed and helmeted Hamas men wielded batons at crowds gathered at the border.

"Everyone needs to leave immediately! If you're not Egyptian, you've got to leave now!" the Hamas men yelled in a bid to relieve the crowds near the barrier.

On the Egyptian side of Rafah, security forces briefly detained a reporter and photographer, saying journalists were no longer allowed to take pictures of the border.

The Egyptian side was almost entirely deserted, with cars banned around the frontier and in Rafah's town center unless they were headed home, a correspondent said.

People continued to go home from both sides of the border, with a line of horse and donkey-drawn carts laden with household goods waiting to cross into Gaza at Brazil Gate.

The border breakout on Jan. 23 launched a sprawl of chaos and commerce, with hundreds of thousands of people streaming across with crates of goods, herds of animals, and plastic jugs of diesel fuel or to visit relatives.

The border was breached in a bid to break a tightened Israeli stranglehold on the territory imposed in retaliation for militant rocket fire on Israel.

A spokesman for the Hamas-run interior ministry in Gaza, Ihad Hussein, said that the closure "will last until we have a new agreement to open the Rafah crossing."

But after tasting the first unfettered access into Egypt in years, hundreds of Palestinians refused to leave the frontier.

"I just wanted to go and buy a few more thing for the house," said Nail Agha, 29. "There is no work here. If it stays closed, I'm just going to have to sit around."

The move to reseal the chaotic border -- the only crossing that bypasses Israel -- came after senior hardline Hamas leader Mahmud Zahar announced on Saturday that the Islamists had agreed with Egypt on restoring order.
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