Egypt opens Gaza border crossing for Muslim hajj

Hamas says Egypt has opened its border crossing with the Gaza Strip for three days, allowing hundreds of Muslim faithful to travel for a yearly pilgrimage.

Hesham Edwan, the director of the Rafah crossing, said on Tuesday that nearly 2,500 people were expected to leave in the coming days.

Rafah is Gaza's main gateway to the outside world. Egypt has kept Rafah largely sealed since 2013, when ties with Hamas worsened after the removal of Egypt's elected Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

Cairo accuses Hamas of aiding militant groups in Sinai, both through arms supplies and medical assistance for those injured in clashes with the Egyptian army. It has also taken a tough stance towards the group because of its affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood, a group that was banned in Egypt under Sisi.

Israel maintains its stranglehold on Gaza through restrictive land crossings and a maritime blockade that has also facilitated the harassment of Arab fishermen by Israel's navy.

The pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia is one of the five pillars of Islam and is made by around 3 million Muslims worldwide each year.