Posted on 09/30/2007 11:09:59 AM PDT by knighthawk
Scores of Palestinian fighters who had been stranded in Egypt since Hamas seized Gaza Strip in June returned to the territory on Sunday, witnesses said, signalling possible new rapprochement between Cairo and the Islamist movement.
In what Hamas sources described as a deal between Hamas and Egypt, some 85 Hamas fighters crossed into Gaza overnight through Rafah, a terminal on the Egyptian border which had been closed for three months.
The 85, whom witnesses and Hamas sources told Reuters included senior Hamas figures, had refused to avail themselves of an alternative return route to Gaza Strip.
Hamas sources said that the Popular Resistance Committees, a Gaza-based armed group, took part in talks with Egypt on temporarily reopening Rafah.
Ping
Time to crank up the F-15i’s.
Two Hamas men killed as report claims al Qaeda member extradited to Egypt
Two Hamas fighters were shot dead by Israeli forces as they were spotted advancing towards the border fence between Israel and Gaza Strip late Sunday night.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian news agency Ma’an reported on Monday that Hamas had extradited a wanted Al-Qaeda man to Egypt in exchange for Cairo’s agreement to allow dozens of stranded Hamas and Islamic Jihad members to return to the Gaza Strip on Sunday. Israel said Cairo’s unexpected move contradicted agreements Israel had with Egypt regarding the Rafah Crossing.
Ma’an said the wanted as Qaeda suspect was involved in attacks inside Egypt but lately found a shelter in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip.
http://www.albawaba.com/en/news/217331
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