FACTBOX: Rafah a weak point in Israel's Gaza blockade

(Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Palestinians streamed into Egypt from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip to stock up on goods on Wednesday after militants blew up a border wall in the town of Rafah.

Following are facts about Rafah, the latest focal point of a conflict between Hamas Islamists and Israel, which has tightened Gaza border restrictions in a declared bid to curb rocket attacks by Palestinian militants.

* Rafah straddles the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. It is divided by a 6-metre (18-foot)-high rusty metal border wall that stretches for some 2 km (1.2 miles). Some 40,000 people live on the Egyptian side of Rafah and 150,000 on the Gaza side.

* The border crossing linking the Gaza Strip and the Egyptian part of Rafah lies in the town, but it has been largely closed since Palestinian militants captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in June 2006 after tunneling into Israel.

Shalit is still being held and Israel has tightened border restrictions on the Gaza Strip since Hamas Islamists violently took over the territory seven months ago.

* Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip have built a network of tunnels under Rafah, smuggling in weapons, explosives and other contraband. Israel has relied mainly on Egyptian forces to stop the smuggling, but it has accused Cairo of doing a "terrible" job.

(Writing by Ori Lewis; Editing by Sami Aboudi)