RAFAH
BORDER – GEOGRAPHY
News:
The significance of the
Rafah border crossing and why its reopening matters to Egypt and Gaza |
Explained
What's
in the news?
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The Gaza Strip is a narrow 41-km
designated Palestinian territory along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean
Sea, bound to the north and east by Israel and to the south by Egypt.
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Israel controls Gaza’s airspace and
territorial waters, which makes it extremely hard for Palestinians to pass
through.
Rafah
Crossing:
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It is crossing
between the Gaza Strip and Egypt and is the sole route for aid to enter
Gaza directly outside Israel.
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It is the only exit that does not lead to
Israeli territory.
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The crossing is at the south of the Gaza
Strip and wedged between Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea.
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The crossing is controlled by Egypt.
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There are only two other border crossings i.e. Erez, a border crossing with
Israel in north Gaza, and Kerem Shalom, a commercial crossing between Israel
and Southern Gaza.