Eatedal Rayyan was reunited with her husband in Gaza on Thursday after nearly two years apart, returning to a homeland ravaged by conflict despite widespread destruction. Rayyan, who fled Gaza with her family in March 2024 seeking medical treatment in Egypt, was among a small number of Palestinians allowed to re-enter through the Rafah border crossing, which largely remained closed since October 2023.
Return to a Devastated Gaza
Rayyan, 29, left Gaza with her mother and three children after sustaining a leg injury that required treatment unavailable in the enclave. After months of recovery in Egypt, she was able to walk again. Her children – Hanan, 8, Ezz, 5, and Mohammad, 4 – eagerly anticipated the reunion with their father, packing blankets and winter coats for the journey.
“We are going to Gaza!” the children chanted before heading to the border. The family faced three checkpoints – Egyptian, Palestinian/European, and Israeli security – before being transported by bus to Khan Younis.
A Long-Awaited Reunion
Rayyan and her family arrived in Khan Younis nearly midnight, where her husband, Ahmed, was waiting. The couple embraced, and Ahmed hugged his children, with their daughter, Hanan, clinging to his leg.
Despite knowing of the widespread devastation, Rayyan said the reality of returning to Gaza was shocking. “No building is standing,” she said. “Everything is destroyed, destroyed. There is no electricity, or anything.”
The family’s former home in Al-Saftawi, near Gaza City, was destroyed in the war. They will now live in a tent in a Gaza City encampment. Ahmed managed to secure three mattresses for the five family members.
Limited Reopening and Concerns
The Rafah crossing is the primary exit and entry point for Gaza’s more than 2 million residents. Its limited reopening on Monday was part of efforts to address the ongoing crisis. Only 21 Palestinians, including Rayyan and her children, re-entered Gaza on Thursday, according to enclave authorities, far fewer than the expected 50 daily crossings.
Some who have returned to Gaza reported harassment and interrogation by Israeli forces and members of a local gang allegedly backed by Israel. Israel’s military has denied these claims.
“There were some people (who were traveling) with us, like young men, they abused them – for example, they tied their hands, blindfolded them, humiliated them, they kept interrogating them,” Rayyan said.
Despite the hardships, Rayyan expressed a deep longing for her homeland. “It is true that life in Egypt was good, everyone was kind to us,” she said. “But still, you long for your country, your family, your relatives, your husband, your life. Being away from home is hard. Life in Gaza is still beautiful, even though it’s been destroyed.”
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