Opening hours are to be extended for the return of the Hajj from 13 to 17 January.
EUBAM is again extending the opening hours of the Rafah Crossing Point from Friday evening until the evening of 17 January, at the request of the Palestinian Authority, to cater for pilgrims crossing the border in their return from the Muslim traditional pilgrimage to Mecca, the Hajj.
Within this timeframe the border will be open for a total of 20 hours each day (from 21.00 to 7.00 at night and from 9.00 to 19.00 during the day). More than 7,000 pilgrims are expected to return to Gaza during this period.
Right after these five days, EU-BAM will extend the regular opening hours of the Rafah Crossing Point from currently eight hours to nine hours everyday of the week.
EU-BAM will continue to gradually increase the opening hours until the goal of having the border open for 24 hours a day is achieved. For this to happen, the border mission's camp must be established so that the monitors can be fully deployed and the security situation must first improve and then stabilize.
Since the Rafah border-crossing point was opened last 25 November, more than 32,000 people have crossed from Gaza into Egypt and almost 28,000 have crossed from Egypt to Gaza. This adds up to 60,000 people in both directions, averaging 1 250 each day.
EU-BAM hopes that progress in implementing the "Agreement on Movement and Access" reached between the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority on 15 November will allow Gaza to trade with foreign markets and thereby improve its economic and financial situation.
For any questions don't hesitate to contact EU-BAM’s PPIO: 054-4926836
