UNRWA official calls on Israel, Egypt to open Gaza crossings

GAZA, July 14 (Xinhua) -- John Ging, an official with the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the Gaza Strip on Monday called on both Israel and Egypt to fully reopen Gaza Strip border crossing points to ease the difficulties of life in the impoverished enclave. Ging, who is the director of UNRWA operations in Gaza, told a news conference held in Gaza that keeping Gaza Strip Crossings closed "contradicts with the international laws on human rights." After the militant Hamas movement took control of the Gaza Strip last summer, Israel closed down all crossing points into Gaza and refused to operate Rafah crossing point between Gaza Strip and Egypt. Hamas movement's spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said earlier on Monday that despite a ceasefire agreement between the Palestinians and Israel, according to which Israel opens border... [read full story]