CAIRO, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haneya was blocked at the Egypt-Gaza border from returning to the Gaza Strip with millions of dollars for his cash-strapped Hamas government.

    Haneya is still waiting at the Egyptian side of the border near Rafah crossing as Israel ordered the army to shut down the Rafah terminal to prevent Haneya from transferring a large sum of cash into the Gaza Strip, the Qatar-based al-Jezeera television reported.

    Haneya arrived at Arish airport in Egypt earlier Thursday after a 15-day tour of Arab and Islamic countries.

    According to Egyptian officials, Haneya declared he was carrying 35 million U.S. dollars when he arrived in Egypt from Sudan on his way back to Gaza.

    Tens of Hamas militants stormed Rafah border crossing Thursday afternoon after Israel ordered the closure of the gate to prevent Haneya from returning to Gaza, witnesses said.

    The witnesses added that Hamas armed people, backed by hundreds of people, exchanged fire with members of the Palestinian presidential guard which controls security at the terminal between Gaza and Egypt.

    Haneya's government was under political and financial siege by the U.S. and Israeli-led international economic sanctions and cannot pay full salaries to its 165,000 staff.

    Haneya left Gaza on Nov. 28 and started a planned one-month trip abroad. However, he cut his visit short as the violence is raging in the Palestinian territories and his Hamas party and the rival Fatah need to continue to negotiate on a new government.