A Palestinian border official says Egypt has opened its border post with the Gaza Strip for the first time in two months, offering temporary relief to Palestinians seeking to leave the coastal enclave.

Maher Abu Sabha, the Gaza official in charge on the Gaza side, says the Rafah crossing is only to remain open for two days.

It's the main gateway to the outside world for Gaza's 1.7 million residents. Egypt had kept the border closed since an October 24 attack in the Sinai Peninsula that killed 31 Egyptian soldiers.

About 250 Palestinians as well as ambulances with medical patients crossed into Egypt on Sunday.