The Egyptian authorities intend on Friday to open the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip to allow in Palestinian pilgrims who performed Hajj rituals in the holy city of Makkah as guests of the Saudi monarch.
Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz had picked up the tab for the pilgrimage journey of 500 families of Palestinian martyrs from Gaza who performed the annual Hajj (a pillar of faith in Islam) as his guests.
Last night those pilgrims left Saudi Arabia for the Cairo International Airport.
The Egyptian authorities are also expected to open the Rafah crossing for four days as of next Monday to allow in other pilgrims who traveled to the holy lands in Saudi Arabia under the supervision of the Palestinian ministry of religious affairs.
