President al-Sisi said the measure was aimed at alleviating the burdens of the population of Gaza.

Egypt opens the Rafah border with the Palestinian territory at regular intervals but this would be the longest single opening in several years.

Once occupied by Egypt, which retains control of Gaza's southern border, the territory was captured by Israel during the 1967 Middle East war. Israel withdrew its troops and around 7,000 settlers in 2005.