Egypt Opening Border ahead of Muslim Holiday

A Gaza official says Egypt is opening its border crossing with the Hamas-ruled coastal territory for three days ahead of a major Muslim holiday this weekend.

Maher Abu Sabha of the Gaza border authority says the crossing will open to traffic in both directions later on Tuesday.

Egypt closed the passage last week, after Islamic militants in Egypt's Sinai desert near Gaza killed 16 Egyptian troops. Egypt has suggested the assailants had help from Gaza, a claim Hamas denies.

Hamas and Egypt's president, Mohammed Morsi, belong to the same region-wide Muslim Brotherhood, but tensions between them are growing.

Gaza Interior Minister Fathi Hamad demanded a full reopening of the crossing, saying that while Gaza suffered under Morsi's predecessor, Hosni Mubarak, it should not be made to suffer now.