Egypt admits wounded Gazans for medical care

By Yusri Mohamed

ISMAILIA, Egypt (Reuters) - Egypt unsealed a sensitive border crossing on Sunday to let Palestinians wounded in an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip cross into Egypt for medical care.

Israeli forces killed 61 people, nearly half of them civilians, in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip on Saturday, the bloodiest single day for Palestinians since the 1980s. Two Israeli soldiers were also killed fighting Gaza militants.

Egyptian security sources at the Rafah border crossing -- -- largely closed since the Hamas Islamist group seized control of Gaza last June -- said at least 40 wounded Palestinian civilians crossed into Egypt on Sunday.

Ambulances waited at the border to take more wounded.

"It is inconceivable for Egypt not to extend a hand of aid and assistance to its Palestinian brothers, especially the wounded among them, who have been falling in recent days during brutal Israeli military operations," Egypt's foreign ministry said in a statement.

The statement added that Egypt had taken the decision to admit the Palestinians as part of "assuming a humanitarian duty toward what the Palestinian people are facing".

Egyptian security sources said Egypt had not set a limit on how many Palestinians would be allowed in. North Sinai Governor Ahmed Abdel Hamid said he expected the number of wounded Palestinians entering Egypt would exceed 200.

Hospitals in the northern Sinai were on alert and state news agency MENA said some wounded would be taken to Cairo for treatment.