Gunfire Erupts at Gaza-Egypt Border

Crowds of Palestinians swarming the Rafah border crossing today in an attempt to enter Egypt from Gaza were turned away as both riot police and Palestinians fired guns into the air, the BBC reports. Dozens of people were injured as the protesters, mostly pro-Hamas women, called for the border to be opened to supplies cut off by the Israeli blockade, the AP said.

The scuffles come as Israel is temporarily easing the blockade to address humanitarian concerns. But Palestinian president Mamoud Abbas insisted that the food, fuel, and medicine being allowed into Gaza are "insufficient," adding that civilians are not responsible for the rockets being launched from Gaza into Israeli towns. At Israel's request, the border crossing has been mostly closed since Hamas seized Gaza in June. (More Egypt stories.)