Egypt's president struck back against critics throughout the region and said he would not fully open the crossing into the Gaza Strip unless the Palestinian Authority was in control of the border to preserve Palestinian unity. Egypt has come under heavy criticism in the Arab world over its refusal over the past year to open the Rafah crossing, which has helped complete an Israeli blockade of the territory. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni also visited Egypt just before the assault, leading many to accuse Egypt of giving a green light to the attack.
"We will not deepen the division and that breach [among the Palestinians] by opening Rafah border crossing in the absence of the Palestinian authority and the European union monitors," Mubarak said, referring to the 2005 agreement over the border.
Egypt resists dealing with Hamas because it opposes the group's 2007 takeover of the Gaza Strip and fears a spillover across the border of its terrorist influence.