RAFAH, (PIC)-- Holders of Egyptian travel documents, who are stranded in the Gaza Strip, have announced their intention to go on hunger strike as of today Wednesday until they are allowed back to their relatives and places of residence.

The trapped Palestinians said that they would not end their open hunger strike until they are allowed to cross the Rafah border terminal.

They asked the Egyptian government to consider their case and to allow them to cross similar to the Egyptian nationals who were trapped in Gaza after closure of the borders.

"We should not be the victims of political differences or a political game," they said, noting that their sons lost an academic year and they were threatened with loss of their jobs.

The Palestinians, with residence permits in other countries, entered Gaza when inhabitants of the Strip blasted and broke through the border fence with Egypt late last January and could not get out when Egypt closed it down.

They appealed to PA chief Mahmoud Abbas and the caretaker government in Gaza along with the Egyptian government to facilitate their return to their work and places of residence.