Cairo, June 30 (RHC)-- Egypt has temporarily opened its border with the besieged Gaza Strip to allow Palestinians with urgent need to cross in and out of the enclave.  Egyptian authorities opened the Rafah border crossing on Wednesday and announced it will remain open until July 4 except on Friday, July 1.

More than 3,000 people left the coastal enclave when Egypt opened the only transit outlet not controlled by the Israeli regime for four days during the first week of June ahead of the holy month of Ramadan.

The border crossing was opened for only 21 days throughout 2015, according to the Hamas Interior Ministry based in Gaza.  The crossing has been reopened more regularly in 2016.

Gaza has been blockaded by the Israeli regime since 2007. The blockade has caused a decline in the standard of living, unprecedented levels of unemployment and unrelenting poverty.

Israel denies about 1.8 million people in the besieged Palestinian territory their basic rights, including adequate healthcare and education.

Egypt says the closure of Rafah will continue as it still suspects that Gaza’s ruling Hamas resistance movement plays a role in assisting militants in Egypt’s volatile Sinai region. Hamas has denied any involvement in the militancy, saying the government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi seeks to maintain its ties with the Israeli regime through keeping Rafah closed.