Egypt opens Rafah crossing for goods to Gaza

Hamas-run government in the Gaza strip announced a shipment of construction materials will enter the territory from Egypt through the Rafah crossing for the first time. "Twenty truckloads of construction materials will enter Gaza today for the Qatar-financed reconstruction projects," Deputy Prime Minister Ziad Zaza told Xinhua. Zaza said that the entry of much-needed construction materials and equipment come as part of a memorandum of understanding signed with the Egyptian government to allow the entry of such materials through the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza. In October, Qatar announced a grant of 407 million U.S. dollars to help rebuilding the war-torn Gaza. Gazans used to bring in construction materials through smuggling tunnels, but this is the first time for constructions materials to be sent to Gaza officially. Mohammed al-Abadi, head of the Qatar committee of rebuilding Gaza announced earlier in October that construction materials needed for 24 Qatari projects will be imported through Egypt, not Israel. This step comes two days after Israel announced it will allow the entry of some construction materials in Gaza that has been placed a tight blockade since 2007. Israel also announced it will take more steps to ease restrictions imposed on Gaza as part of a ceasefire deal that Egypt brokered between Israel and Hamas after bloody eight days of fighting.