Stones vs. water cannons at Egypt-Gaza border

GAZA CITY (CNN) -- Egyptian forces fired water cannons Wednesday at crowds of stone-throwing Palestinians who were trying to cross into Egypt from southern Gaza, Hamas security sources said.

There were no initial reports of casualties at the Rafah border crossing.

Tensions escalated after the Palestinians were not allowed to enter Egypt, the sources said.

Israel closed border crossings with Gaza last week, allowing only basic humanitarian goods into the Palestinian territory, to punish Hamas after days of rocket attacks on southern Israel. Watch clash at the Rafah Crossing »

Some of the crossings were reopened Sunday to allow for the passage of fuel, food and medical supplies.

While the Egypt-Gaza border at Rafah is still officially closed, Egypt allows some people through the Rafah Crossing, which it jointly maintains along with the Palestinian Authority. About 200 people were allowed through on Tuesday, and 50 crossed into Egypt on Wednesday.

Rafah is the only Gaza border crossing that Israel doesn't maintain.

In January, tens of thousands of Gazans overran the border after an Israeli blockade that aggravated already dire economic conditions in the Palestinian territory.

Egypt brokered a recent truce between Gaza's Hamas leaders and Israel.

The terms stipulate that Palestinian militants stop attacks on Israel. Israel, in turn, will halt raids inside Gaza and ease its economic blockade if the truce holds. The agreement is supposed to last six months.

Last week, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak told visiting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that his country would not open the border with Hamas-controlled Gaza until a captive Israeli soldier is freed.

Israel has said the truce is a first step toward a broader cease-fire agreement that must include the release of Cpl. Gilad Shalit, whom militants took hostage two years ago.

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