Egypt has opened its border with the Gaza Strip at Rafah "on a daily basis" for the first time in four years.
The border was closed in 2007 shortly after Hamas took power in Gaza.
Israel worried Hamas would use the crossing to ship arms and militants into Gaza.
Rafah is the only Egypt-Gaza crossing that does not pass through Israel.
As a key ally of Israel, former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak only opened Rafah occasionally for food and medicine.
But Egypt's new leadership said the country would open Rafah to ease the hardship of Palestinians and end divisions between them.
Al-Jazeera reports that some restrictions will remain in place, including an Egyptian visa requirement for males between the ages of 18 and 40 for travel across the border into Egypt.
compiled from agency reports
The border was closed in 2007 shortly after Hamas took power in Gaza.
Israel worried Hamas would use the crossing to ship arms and militants into Gaza.
Rafah is the only Egypt-Gaza crossing that does not pass through Israel.
As a key ally of Israel, former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak only opened Rafah occasionally for food and medicine.
But Egypt's new leadership said the country would open Rafah to ease the hardship of Palestinians and end divisions between them.
Al-Jazeera reports that some restrictions will remain in place, including an Egyptian visa requirement for males between the ages of 18 and 40 for travel across the border into Egypt.
compiled from agency reports
