Palestinians in Gaza are anxiously waiting for the full reopening of the Rafah crossing with Egypt, after Israel partially reopened the border this week for the first time in nearly two years. The crossing, a vital gateway for medical care, travel, and humanitarian access, has remained largely shut since Israeli forces took control of it during the war with Hamas.
The limited reopening began under a tightly controlled pilot phase, following months of pressure from international aid organizations calling for access to patients and civilians trapped inside Gaza. According to Israel’s state broadcaster Kan, around 150 people are expected to exit Gaza into Egypt today, including nearly 50 patients in urgent need of medical treatment. Another 50 individuals are also expected to enter Gaza. For now, the crossing is set to operate for roughly six hours a day.
Images from the Egyptian side of Rafah showed ambulances lined up and ready, signaling that medical evacuations are being prioritized. Gaza’s health ministry said around 200 patients are currently waiting for approval to leave, many suffering from injuries or illnesses that cannot be treated locally due to the collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system.
For people like Mohammed Nassir, the reopening carries deep personal meaning. Injured early in the war, he lost his leg and now requires surgery that is unavailable inside Gaza. “The Rafah crossing is a lifeline,” he said. “Without it, people like me have no future.”
Rafah remains a critical entry point for humanitarian aid into Gaza, where conditions continue to be severe despite a ceasefire that has been in place since October 10. The crossing was last briefly reopened in early 2025, but only for a limited period. Israel’s defence ministry body COGAT confirmed that movement of individuals in both directions would resume but made no reference to a large-scale increase in aid deliveries.
On the Egyptian side, state-linked Cairo News reported that the crossing would remain open around the clock and that hospitals in Egypt are prepared to receive patients from Gaza. At the same time, Egypt and Jordan reiterated their firm opposition to any plan that would forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza.
Israel had previously linked the reopening of Rafah to the recovery of the remains of Ran Gvili, the last Israeli hostage held in Gaza. His body was recovered and buried last week, leading Israel to announce the phased reopening of the crossing.
The situation on the ground remains tense. Gaza’s civil defence reported that at least 32 people were killed in Israeli strikes over the weekend, while the Israeli military said it carried out retaliatory attacks after militants emerged from a tunnel in Rafah.
Adding to humanitarian concerns, Israel announced it was ending the operations of Doctors Without Borders in Gaza after the organization refused to hand over a list of its Palestinian staff, citing safety risks to its workers.
Rafah, located on Gaza’s southern border with Egypt, is the only crossing that does not pass through Israel. Although Israeli forces have pulled back behind the so-called Yellow Line under a US-brokered ceasefire, they still control more than half of Gaza, with the remainder under Hamas authority.
