Egyptian guard killed in clashes on Gaza border

Egyptian security forces at the Gaza border crossing clashed with Palestinians who were angry that an international aid convoy had been delayed. One border guard was killed and 15 Palestinians wounded.

Yesterday's incident further raises the tension between Egypt and the Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip who see Cairo's attempts to seal the border as a direct threat to their survival, particularly a new effort to build a steel wall blocking cross-border tunnels.

The Egyptian state news agency said Palestinians shot and killed the 21-year-old border guard who was in an observation tower overlooking the frontier. Nine other guards were injured by stones thrown across the border by hundreds of Palestinians.

Gaza's Hamas rulers had called for a protest earlier over the delay of an international aid convoy at the nearby Egyptian port city of El-Arish, but soon lost control of the situation as youths began throwing stones.