Middle East/Egypt - Gaza border clashes

Violence on Egyptian border with Gaza strip

Article published on the 2010-01-06 Latest update 2010-01-06 13:47 TU

A picture taken from the Egyptian side of the town of Rafah shows some tunnels, covered by white tents, on the Palestinian side of the border
(Photo: Reuters)

Gunfire from the Gaza strip killed an Egyptian police officer at the border Wednesday, reported Egyptian state television. Earlier, two Palestinians were shot and wounded by Egyptian soldiers, after they had thrown stones across the border. Tension is rising on the border as Egypt continues a blockade on the territory, which started when Hamas took power in 2007.

"Egyptian policeman dead after Palestinian fire in border zone," read the ticker on Egyptian television.

A security official said a 21-year-old officer died in hospital in the border town of Rafah.

Earlier, Egyptian soldiers fired on a group of some 200 Palestinians who were hurling stones at them over the border fence at Rafah, and wounded two, according to medics and witnesses.

Ten people were wounded when Hamas security officials tried to disperse the crowd.

Hamas had called a demonstration in protest of Egypt’s building an underground border meant to block tunnels through which supplies and weapons have been smuggled into Gaza since Israel and Egypt imposed a blockade in 2007.

Tuesday, 55 people were injured when a foreign-led demonstration in the port of El Arash, protesting Egypt’s sending some supplies into Gaza via Israel, clashed with police.