Hamas partially opens Gaza crossing with Israel

Hamas opened Monday the way to the border crossing with Israel through Beit Hanoun (Erez crossing) partially, which was shut down after one of it's top militants Mazen Fuqaha'a was murdered in mysterious circumstance in Gaza.

Eyad Al-Bozom, spokesperson of the Interior Ministry, said in an emailed press release that the crossing will be "opened for the travel of families of prisoners in Israeli jails, and three ministers of the national unity government."

Al-Bozom added that there are no restrictions by Hamas on the entry to Gaza. However, foreigners in Gaza remain not allowed to leave Gaza, including employees of UN or international organizations.

Hamas has imposed "strict security measures" in the Gaza Strip since Sunday, including a full closure on the ways to the borders crossing with Israel from the Palestinian side, as part of it's investigations into the murder of Fuqaha'a.

On Friday night, unknown gunmen killed Fuqaha'a just at the entrance to his house in Gaza city. Fuqaha'a was a top Hamas militant, from the West Bank, who was released in an Egyptian-brokered prisoners swap deal with Israel in 2011.

Right after the murder, Hamas and other Palestinian factions held Israel responsible for the killing, adding that "the Israeli occupation and its collaborators are behind the assassination of Mazen Fuqaha'a."

 source: Xinhua