[Ma'anImages]

Gaza - Ma’an – Thousands of Palestinians gathered at the Rafah border crossing early on Tuesday morning, waiting for Egypt to open the crossing point as announced on Monday.

Egypt plans to open the crossing for three days to allow those stranded on both sides to cross. Thousands of people registered their names with Palestinian authorities, hoping to be permitted to cross into Egypt.

The vast majority of those who gathered at the border on Tuesday morning have not been granted permission from the Egyptian authorities. They appeared at the crossing point, many bearing their visas for Western and Arab countries, hoping that they would somehow be allowed through.

The border will be open Tuesday and Wednesday for those permitted to leave Gaza, while Thursday is reserved for 150 Palestinians stranded in Egypt. These Palestinians have been trapped in Egypt since the border was forced open in January.

The Interior Ministry of the de facto government of Gaza released the names of 50 patients and their travel companions who will be permitted to travel to Egypt for treatment.

Sources at the Rafah crossing confirmed that Egyptians stranded inside Gaza, who had been living in the Rafah Youth Club, were allowed to leave Gaza on Monday night. The Gazan medical patients were forced to wait until Tuesday morning.