Palestinians have begun passing through the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt after it reopened for the movement of people.
The crossing had been mostly shut since May 2024, when Israeli forces took control of the Gaza side.
Its reopening was originally expected during the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire initiative between Israel and Hamas, which started in October. However, Israel delayed the move until the body of the last Israeli hostage held in Gaza was returned, which occurred last week.
For many Palestinians, the reopening is a major relief, as Rafah is widely viewed as Gaza’s main link to the outside world. Still, frustration remains, as only limited numbers of people will be permitted to cross and no goods will be allowed through.
Local hospitals and the World Health Organization (WHO) say around 20,000 sick and injured Palestinians are waiting to leave Gaza to receive medical treatment.
According to Israeli media reports, just 50 patients per day will be allowed to exit, each accompanied by one or two relatives. In addition, 50 people who left Gaza during the war will be permitted to return.
The crossing will be overseen by European Union supervisors and local Palestinian staff, with Israel conducting security checks remotely.
An Israeli security official said on Monday morning that the Rafah crossing had “now opened to the movement of residents, for both entry and exit,” following the arrival of teams from the European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM).
Meanwhile, Al Qahera News TV, which is close to Egyptian intelligence services, reported that the crossing had “received the first group of Palestinians returning from Egypt to the Gaza Strip,” describing the step as part of Egypt’s efforts to ease movement through the crossing.
Sabrine al-Da’ma, a Palestinian mother, told the BBC she hoped to travel abroad with her 16-year-old daughter, Rawa, who suffers from kidney disease. Al-Da’ma plans to donate one of her kidneys to her daughter.
“She used to be treated with monitoring, ultrasound scans, and tests to check her kidney condition. Since the war began, due to food shortages, hunger, and the food she was forced to eat, she started dialysis,” al-Da’ma said.
“We hope our referral will be accelerated so we can travel quickly, because she is becoming exhausted. I am 45 years old, and they may say that as I get older, I won’t be able to donate anymore. That’s why we are in a hurry.”
On Sunday, Israeli authorities said a trial opening of the crossing had been carried out and completed.
A Palestinian official familiar with the trial arrangements told the BBC that around 30 Palestinian staff members had arrived on the Egyptian side of the crossing ahead of the initial operational phase.
The WHO is expected to supervise the transfer of patients from areas under Hamas control, transporting them by bus to the crossing over the so-called “Yellow Line” and into territory controlled by the Israeli military.
Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan states that reopening the Rafah crossing in both directions will follow the same mechanism used under a previous ceasefire agreement reached in January last year.
Before Israeli forces took control of the crossing in 2024, Rafah served as the main exit point for Palestinians allowed to leave Gaza during the war and a critical entry route for humanitarian aid. Currently, aid entering from Egypt is redirected through Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing.
In December, the Israeli government announced that the Rafah crossing would be opened to allow Palestinians to leave Gaza, but Egypt said it would only agree if movement was permitted in both directions.
More than 30,000 Gazans have registered with the Palestinian embassy in Cairo seeking permission to return to Gaza.
The reopening of the crossing was delayed after Israel made it conditional on Hamas handing over the body of the last deceased Israeli hostage in Gaza.
Last week, the Israeli military said its forces recovered the remains of police officer Master Sgt Ran Gvili from a cemetery in northern Gaza.
He was among the 251 people abducted by Hamas and allied groups during the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, which left about 1,200 people dead.
Israel’s subsequent military offensive in Gaza has killed more than 71,790 Palestinians, according to figures released by the Hamas-run health ministry in the territory.
