Truck Explodes At Gaza Hamas Rally

Hamas Blames Israel; Palestinian Authority Blames Carelessness

(CBS/AP)  Israel shut down Rafah, Gaza's main gateway to the outside world, before leaving the coastal strip last week after a 38-year occupation. Israel wants Rafah to remain sealed for six months for a technological upgrade and to test the Palestinians' ability to take control in Gaza.

In the meantime, Palestinians are to use an alternative crossing in Israel, which will open next week.

Israel, however, did not object to the Palestinian plan to open Rafah for two days starting Friday, mainly to allow the passage of people seeking medical treatment or studying or residing abroad.

Several thousand travelers arrived at Rafah on Friday morning, turning over travel documents to Palestinian border police and waiting for border officials to call them to ride buses that would take them to the Rafah terminal and then to Egypt. Some travelers sat on suitcases, napping as they waited.

Inside the gate, new X-ray equipment was in place, and plastic still covered new chairs in the air-conditioned waiting area.

"This is the first time we cross without the Israelis standing over our heads, and that indeed is a blessing," said Manal Hatem, 36, who arrived with her 11-month-old baby and a sister-in-law en route to a religious pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Thousands of Palestinians busted through the Gaza-Egypt border last week after Israel withdrew.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said Israel was concerned by the border chaos last week and does not want the crossing permanently reopened until security is upgraded.