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Gaza Airport Reopens After Being Shut Thrice
Gaza international airport reopened Tuesday morning after being shut by Israel at the end of last month for the third time since the outbreak of the Israeli-Palestinian clashes late September, a Palestinian aviation official said.
However, the reopening was partial, with Israel only permitting flights between the hours of 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) and 5 p.m. (1500 GMT), according to the official.
Israel ordered the closure of Gaza airport on October 31 for the third time since the eruption of the clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli forces, in which over 170 people have been killed, mostly Palestinians, and more than 5,000 others injured.
The Palestinian airport at Rafah in southern Gaza Strip was first closed on October 8, but reopened on October 19 following the Sharm el Sheikh summit in Egypt, at which Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak reached ceasefire understandings.
It was again closed on October 23 and reopened the next day.
The Gaza airport, also called Yasser Arafat International Airport, became operational in November 1998 as part of the implementation of signed agreements between Israel and the Palestinians in pursuit of a final peace settlement of their conflicts.
The airport is controlled by Palestinians but Israel holds overall responsibility for security at the airport. Under peace accords between Israel and the Palestinians, Israel also controls Gaza's air space.
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