EL-ARISH, Egypt, 1 January 2008 — Palestinian pilgrims yesterday broke windows and burned some mattresses and blankets, protesting Egypt’s decision to house them in temporary camps until a dispute over how they will return to the Gaza Strip is resolved.
An elderly Palestinian woman died after a heart attack when she was caught in scuffles between protesting pilgrims and the Egyptian police, said local medical officials.
The Palestinians, who are returning from the Haj and include some members of the Hamas group, have rejected Egypt’s demands that they enter Gaza through the Israeli-controlled Aouja border crossing.
Israel fears that if they return through the direct Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, where Israel has no control, Hamas fighters might get through and sympathizers could smuggle cash to Hamas in the isolated coastal strip, which is controlled by the group.
Egypt has moved more than 1,100 of the pilgrims into several of 11 temporary camps set up in and around the Mediterranean coastal city of El-Arish.
Angry protests broke out in two of the camps yesterday. In El-Arish’s stadium, pilgrims set fire to several mattresses and blankets in rooms set up for them, while in another camp set up in Athletes’ Village in the city, protesters smashed windows.
The pilgrims shouted angry slogans against Egyptian officials for not allowing them to cross into Gaza through Rafah. Hundreds of riot police surrounded the protesters, while the fires were put out.
A 67-year-old Palestinian woman, Khadra Mahmoud Mohammed Massoud, collapsed and died during the turmoil. Several other elderly Palestinians fainted from smoke inhalation and were taken to El-Arish Hospital.
