Algerian families blocked at Rafah

Egyptian border guards prevented three Algerian families living in the Gaza Strip from entering Egypt after they had reached Rafah crossing point Monday, president of Algerian Red Crescent said.

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• “The families called on the Algerian consulate in Egypt and the Algerian Red Crescent to help them leaving Gaza,” Hadj Hamou Ben Zeghir told Echorouk on phone.
• He added that two Algerian doctors with two ambulances loaded with 30 tons of medicines crossed the Rafah crossing point on the Egyptian border with Gaza on Sunday.  
• “They went to El Shifa hospital to help Gaza wounded,” Ben Zeghir said.
• Egypt has refused to permanently open the Rafah crossing, citing a 2005 agreement that required the presence of EU monitors and Palestinian Authority representatives at the passage.
• At least 900 Palestinians have been killed and 3,950 wounded since Israeli began a massive military offensive in the Gaza Strip on December 27.
• Israel military is of using white phosphorus in densely populated areas of Gaza which has a burning effect on the skin.