Gaza - Ma'an - Palestinian border officials said Friday that 224 Palestinians were sent back to the Gaza Strip from Egypt on Thursday night.

The Palestinians, most of them former medical patients, were sent back via Rafah, the de facto crossings authority officials told Ma'an.

The reports came amid larger allegations that Egypt had hardened its policies on issuing visas to Hamas leader from Gaza

The Israeli daily Haaretz reported Friday that Cairo wants Hamas to sign an Egyptian-backed reconciliation argreement with its Fatah rivals. Egypt's construction of a wall between the Sinai and Gaza was just the latest point of controversy between the two sides, Haaretz reported.