Egypt Preparing for Massive Gaza Refugee Influx

[tekisui]

Source: IC Publications

Egypt has drawn up contingency plans to deal with a sudden influx of thousands of Palestinian refugees fleeing the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, humanitarian agencies said on Wednesday.

Egypt has so far resisted international pressure to open its Rafah crossing into the south of the tiny enclave, the only one to bypass Israel.

But the prospect of a Gazan exodus increased on Wednesday when Israel ordered a temporary halt to bombing so a humanitarian corridor can be created for the beleaguered population.

"The Egyptian government, supported by national and international humanitarian bodies, is preparing in case of necessity," the head of the Egyptian Red Crescent Mamduh Gabr told AFP.

"We should be ready to deal with" an influx of Palestinians in the Sinai peninsula which borders Gaza, he said, adding it was up to the Egyptian government to decide on opening the border.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Antonio Guterres on Monday called forcefully for Israel and Egypt to allow those Palestinians who wish to do so to leave the conflict in Gaza.

Guterres called for the opening of all Gaza's frontiers, saying it was "the only conflict in the world in which people are not even allowed to flee."

more: http://www.africasia.com/services/news/newsitem.php?area=mideast&item=090107130101.p3e2e15q.php

[Vegasaurus]

1. Israel is at war

Egypt is not.

Let them take the Palestinian refugees.

Only they won't, or haven't up until now.

Egypt just builds a ten foot concrete wall and shoots at them if they try to get through,

[tekisui]

2. It looks like Egypt is getting ready to let refugees in, finally.

[Vegasaurus]

3. As they should

Better late than never.

[Taitertots]

7. 60 years too late

is better than never.

[Donnachaidh]

6. Israel is practicing ethnic cleansing

It's obscene to even CALL this a *war*. It's the same as Bush calling the Iraqi occupation a war. So the refugees leave, and Israel steals even more land.

Mission Accomplished. :puke:

[azurnoir]

4. So Gaza is going to empty in to Egypt

guess this was not a loss for at least one side after all, and the cherry on the sundae is the economic stress this cause Egypt kind of like the cherry for the US with Iraqi refugees flooding into Syria

[Vegasaurus]

5. You think Gaza will "empty" into Egypt>

That;s funny, considering that they only let in a few of the most critically injured people, and didn't let in doctors, who came from other countries to help assist in Gaza.

[tekisui]

8. Leaflets dropped over Rafah, telling residents they have 30 minutes

to get out.

Heard on the radio, no link yet.