Armed militants block Rafah border crossing

Palestinian gunmen close the Rafah border crossing gate between the Gaza Strip and Egypt yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

Around 100 gunmen took up position at the entrance to the crossing, preventing travellers from passing through the border terminal, they said.

Initially, the gunmen had allowed all civilians into the terminal after checking their identities, in a bid to stop only those affiliated with the Palestinian Authority, an AFP correspondent said.

The protest came amid demands for the release of Alaa al-Hams, a local leader of the radical Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades. He was arrested late Tuesday on suspicion of being behind last week's kidnapping of a British aid worker and her parents.