Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations

    CAIRO, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian authorities reopened the Rafah border crossing Thursday to allow stranded Palestinians to cross into the Hamas-controlled Palestinian territories of the Gaza Strip, the official MENA news agency reported.

    The Palestinians, including workers, students and patients, have been stuck at the Egyptian side since the closure of the Egypt-Gaza borders in February, an Egyptian official source was quoted as saying on condition of anonymity.

    Egyptian border officials were secured at the crossing to process the departure papers of the stranded Palestinians as quickly as possible, the source added.

    On Tuesday, Egypt temporarily opened the Rafah crossing for Palestinians stranded at both sides. Egypt had decided to open the crossing for three days from Tuesday to Thursday.

    However, a group of Palestinians stormed the Rafah terminal and threw rocks at Egyptian troops from the Palestinian side Wednesday in an attempt to cross into the Egyptian side.

    Egypt closed the land crossing following the turmoil, during which at least six Egyptian security personnel were slightly injured.

    In January, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, subject to an Israeli-led blockade exacerbated by Egypt's border closing, crossed into the Egyptian side through the border crossing to stock up on daily supplies after Palestinian militants blasted the border wall open.