GAZA, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- An ailing Palestinian man became the sixth to die while waiting to return home from Egypt to Gaza through the Rafah crossing, which Israel closed 40 days ago.
He was one of thousands stranded at the crossing in poor sanitary conditions.
A Palestinian Authority official in Gaza, Selim Abou Safiah, said Wednesday the man had gone to Egypt for medical treatment and could not return to his home in Gaza after Israel closed the crossing following an attack against an Israeli outpost in the area last month.
"The man died Tuesday at the crossing and was buried in Egyptian territory after Israel refused to repatriate his body," Abou Safiah said.
Five other Palestinians have died at the crossing on the Egyptian side since Israel closed it, he added.
According to the Palestinian authorities some 7,000 Palestinians have been stranded for weeks at the crossing, the only way into Gaza.
