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Related: U.N. to Continue Talks over Draft Statement on Gaza Crisis
The White House said Wednesday that the situation in Gaza is "quite serious" and the United States has been in touch with parties concerned about the problem.
"It's true that Israel has helped alleviate some of the blockade problems, but the situation on the border with Egypt and Gaza is quite serious today, and we are very concerned about it," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.
"We have been in touch with those parties, including many in the Egyptian government," Perino said.
Perino said that the focus right now should be on restoring the situation, adding that the genesis of the problem is Hamas' launching of rockets into Israeli territory.
Earlier Wednesday, militants from Hamas' armed wing blew up fence walls at the borders between the southern Gaza Strip and Egypt, which allowed thousands of Gazans to flock into the Egyptian side, witnesses and security sources said.
Palestinian security sources said that thousands of Gaza Strip residents crossed into Egypt to buy their needs of basic foods, medicines, clothes and cigarettes.
It was the second time in two years that Palestinians destroy the fence wall at the borders with Egypt. In September 2005 after Israel pulled out from the Gaza Strip, thousands Gazans crossed into Egypt.
The border wall tear-down came after Israel's decision to slightly ease the blockade against the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, which is home to nearly 1.5 million residents. |
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