Egyptians open fire as Palestinians storm border: One shot dead
RAFAH, Sept 12: A Palestinian was shot dead and another wounded on Monday as hundreds stormed the buffer zone on the Gaza border with Egypt amid scenes of mayhem just hours after Israeli troops pulled out.
Members of the 750-strong force which Egypt is deploying to take over security at the frontier opened fire after hundreds of Palestinians, including armed militants, swarmed into no-man’s land and dozens broke through the barbed wire on top of the border wall, witnesses said.
Nafez Attiyeh, 34, died of a bullet wound to the head, Palestinian medics said. A second Palestinian was hit in the thigh.
Witnesses said both were hit by Egyptian fire but an Egyptian official said the report was “completely baseless.”
“It’s inconceivable that Egyptian soldiers should have opened fire on the Palestinians after letting 3,000 cross the border for family reunions,” said Suleiman Awad, a spokesman for President Hosni Mubarak.
But when numbers started to get bit out of control, Egyptian forces started to fire into the air, witnesses said.
Palestinian interior ministry spokesman Tawfiq Abu Khussa said the shooting was under investigation, but also issued a warning.
“Any attempt to go near the (border) wall will engender a risk and we will treat it as a challenge to security,” he told AFP.
Late on Monday afternoon, dozens of Palestinians started to return to Gaza with piles of supplies such as cigarettes, washing powder, milk powder and even plastic carpets.
“Cigarettes are half price here,” said Mahmud Hamad as he was making his way back to the central Gaza town of Khan Yunis with 20 cartons. Many said they had paid in shekels — Israel’s currency.
A local Egyptian shopkeeper said he had done better in a single day than in the past five years of Israeli-Palestinian violence.
“The intifada really hit us hard because we lie so close to the embattled Gaza Strip. I welcome the Palestinians!” said Ibrahim Daggag.
Egyptian guards made no move in the morning to turn back the jubilant Palestinians who had poured into the buffer zone to try to take advantage of the Israeli departure to communicate with friends or relatives on the other side of the divided border town of Rafah.
Dozens were seen mounting the small concrete wall that marks the frontier before its barbed-wire top collapsed under the pressure, allowing crowds of youngsters to cross over to the Egyptian side.—AFP
