OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, Jan 27: Israeli and Palestinian leaders met over the crisis in Gaza on Sunday as Egypt battled to regain control of its breached border with the impoverished territory and contain the exodus of Palestinians.

Egyptian police in riot gear and soldiers patrolled the Rafah border area as the authorities tightened security in the Sinai, blocking trucks carrying supplies to Gazans who continued to cross the frontier for a fifth day.

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have swarmed across the border since militants blew up the barricades on Tuesday night as a punishing Israeli lockdown of the Hamas-run territory threatened a humanitarian crisis.

In occupied Jerusalem, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas held talks on the crisis with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, whose government imposed a full blockade of Gaza on Jan 17 but began allowing supplies of vital fuel and aid back in five days later amid international alarm over the situation.

“(Olmert) reassured Abbas that Israel would continue to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza after Abu Mazen (Abbas) requested that Israel not harm the civilian population in the Gaza Strip,” an Israeli official said.

He said Israel and Egypt were also in talks on how to reseal the border with Gaza. Israel has become increasingly concerned about unfettered access in and out of Gaza by Hamas.

“Egypt will take all the appropriate measures to control the Egyptian border with the Gaza Strip as soon as possible,” Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said in Cairo.

Since the breach, Egypt has battled to bring order to the area, with authorities on Sunday blocking dozens of trucks attempting to cross the Suez canal to replenish supplies in the divided town of Rafah.

“Turn back, you can’t pass!” angry policemen shouted at drivers trying to reach the coastal towns of El-Arish and Rafah for Palestinian buyers and Egyptian shop-owners eager to replenish their dwindling stocks.

One truck heading to Rafah laden with 40 tons of medicine, food and blankets from the Egyptian doctors’ syndicate was forced to return to Cairo, the driver said.

Abbas had been expected to ask Olmert that Israel allow his forces — who were routed by Hamas in June after days of brutal factional fighting — to control the border.

But Hamas has called for a new Palestinian-Egyptian arrangement for Rafah, Gaza’s sole crossing that bypasses Israel.

“Hamas wishes to confirm that it refuses to return to the (previous) agreement on the Rafah crossing,” spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said in a statement.—AFP