Gaza pilgrims stranded in Red Sea

Some 2,000 Palestinians returning from a pilgrimage to Mecca are stranded on two boats off the Egyptian coast.

Egypt is insisting that they must re-enter Gaza through Aouja, a border crossing controlled by Israel. The group is thought to include senior members of the militant organisation Hamas, and Israel believes some of them may attempt to smuggle funds into Gaza. Hamas believes that if the pilgrims travel through Aouja, Israel will arrest the Hamas members. Senior Hamas officials have accused Egypt of bowing to Israeli pressure by refusing to let the pilgrims cross into Gaza through the Rafah border crossing, which is the only entry-point into Gaza not controlled by Israel.
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