Hamas, which rules Gaza, says 30,000 people have applied to travel for various reasons, including humanitarian cases.
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Sissi’s decision came in response to a request by President Abbass to that effect.
The U.S. consul general in Jerusalem, Donald A. Blome, said the effort is meant to address “the dire needs that are obvious in Gaza”.
The ensuing explosion had killed 33 members of the Egyptian armed forces and injured 26 others. An arrested Hamas operative has provided information about the Palestinian terror group’s tunnel-digging operations.
Ties between Hamas and Egyptian leaders fluctuated in 2013, following the ouster of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi as well as Egypt’s accusation regarding Hamas’s interference in its internal affairs. Hamas denies the allegation.
The Borders and Crossings Commission announced two days ago that the Rafah crossing will be opened on Wednesday and Thursday.
“This is a clear example of how Hamas continues to abuse and harm Gaza’s civil population to advance their own personal agenda”, the statement read.
At least 90 Palestinians from Gaza, who were designated as stranded in third countries, reportedly arrived at the Cairo International Airport to use the snap opening of Rafah and pay a visit there. The sources said another 120 Palestinians were expected to land later. Palestinians there say they are under siege and are unable to rebuild homes destroyed by Israeli bombing in a 2014 war.
Details were also released on the work methods and camouflage used by Hamas when building the tunnels, such as an “important strategic detail” that workers were required to wash themselves before leaving them.
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Last week, Israel said it planned to reopen a second border point for commercial traffic into Gaza, a step towards gradually easing the blockade it imposed since 2007.
