Egypt beefs up border security with the Gaza Strip

QANTARA, Egypt (Reuters) - Egypt sent about 300 riot police to boost security at its border with Gaza on Monday as Palestinians demanded the opening of the Rafah crossing for patients needing hospital treatment.

Large parts of Gaza plunged into darkness on Sunday when its main power plant shut down after Israel blocked fuel supplies and sealed the border to the Hamas-run territory. Hospitals are performing only emergency surgery.

Egyptian security officials said about 300 people demonstrated on the Palestinian side of the crossing on Monday.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak urged Israel to lift the blockade against Palestinians in the coastal strip.

Mubarak telephoned Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defence Minister Ehud Barak on Monday to warn of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, the state-run agency MENA reported.

Hamas political leader Khaled Meshaal spoke by telephone to Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit, who briefed him on international efforts to make Israel "end this tragedy immediately", Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki said.

"The collective punishment should stop immediately," Zaki told Reuters.

Saudi Arabia called Israel's actions a "brutal collective punishment" and said it would increase humanitarian aid to Palestinians.

"Saudi Arabia is extremely concerned about Israeli violations and Israel's practice of the most brutal form of group punishment in the Gaza Strip and West Bank," a cabinet statement said.

Israel said the blockade was in response to rocket attacks from Gaza. Zaki said Egypt's advice to Hamas has always been to stop firing rockets.

"They are of no value and only provoke Israel," he said. "We also want them (Hamas) to end their coup so that legitimacy can return to Gaza."

An angry Egypt moved its diplomatic mission from Gaza to the West Bank after Hamas drove the forces of Fatah, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's group, out of the strip in June.

Analysts say the ability of Egypt, a regional heavyweight, to exert pressure on Israel and the Palestinians has declined in part because of Mubarak's reluctance to confront Israel and the United States, the Jewish state's staunch ally.

"Egypt has no political will and no creativity," said Ibrahim Eissa, editor of the independent daily al-Dostoor.

He said Mubarak should threaten to open the Rafah crossing unilaterally if the Gaza blockade was not lifted. Egypt says opening the border requires coordination with Israel and the European Union, which monitors the crossing.

(Writing by Alaa Shahine; editing by Matthew Jones)