The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt will reopen to Palestinians on Monday, Israeli officials said, as preparations are made at the territory’s main gateway which has been largely closed for nearly two years.
Rafah Crossing to Reopen After Prolonged Closure
Prior to the current conflict, the Rafah crossing served as the primary exit point for most Palestinians in Gaza and a key entry point for humanitarian aid. It has been largely shut since May 2024.
Cogat, the Israeli agency responsible for the administration of Gaza, stated the crossing will operate in both directions for Gaza residents on foot, with coordination between Israel, Egypt, and the European Union.
“Today, a pilot program is underway to test and assess the operation of the crossing. The movement of residents in both directions, entry and exit to and from Gaza, is expected to begin tomorrow,” Cogat said on Sunday.
Palestinian officials and sources close to the EU mission have confirmed the details. The Egyptian foreign ministry has not yet responded to a request for comment.
Israel has stated the crossing will reopen under stringent security checks, limited to Palestinians wishing to leave the territory and those who fled fighting earlier in the conflict and now wish to return.
Many of those expected to depart are seeking medical care abroad, with the Palestinian health ministry reporting approximately 20,000 patients awaiting permission to leave Gaza.
An Israeli defense official indicated the crossing could accommodate between 150 and 200 people in both directions. The official added that more people are expected to leave than return, as patients will be accompanied by escorts. Lists of individuals authorized to pass through the crossing have been submitted by Egypt and approved by Israel, according to the official.
The reopening of the Rafah crossing was a key component of the initial phase of a plan to end the conflict. However, the ceasefire, which began in October after two years of fighting, has been repeatedly disrupted by outbreaks of violence.
Israeli attacks in Gaza have resulted in over 500 Palestinian deaths since the ceasefire began, according to local health officials. Palestinian militants have killed four Israeli troops, Israeli authorities report.
On Saturday, Israel launched what it described as its most intense airstrikes since the ceasefire, killing at least 30 people in response to a Hamas breach of the truce on Friday when militants emerged from a tunnel in Rafah.
Future phases of the plan call for governance of Gaza to be transferred to Palestinian technocrats, the disarmament of Hamas, the withdrawal of Israeli troops, and the establishment of an international force to maintain peace and oversee reconstruction.
Hamas has so far rejected disarmament, and Israel has maintained that it will use force if necessary to achieve disarmament peacefully.
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