The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt has reopened for limited traffic, ending an almost two-year closure, officials said on Monday.
Rafah is Gaza’s only border crossing not controlled by Israel and serves as a critical gateway for humanitarian aid, medical evacuations, and civilian travel. Its reopening is part of a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement that halted fighting between Israel and Hamas in October.
Movement through the crossing will remain tightly restricted. Israel and Egypt are expected to impose daily caps on travelers, while Israel will oversee extensive security screenings of Palestinians entering and leaving Gaza.
According to Israeli officials, European monitoring teams have arrived at the crossing. The European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) will manage the Palestinian side, submitting lists of travelers and their destinations to Egyptian authorities for security vetting.
Egyptian officials will likewise submit lists of Palestinians seeking to enter Gaza, with approvals granted following security checks. An Egyptian official said 50 Palestinians would be allowed to cross in each direction on the first day of operations, according to the Associated Press.
The Israeli army has established a checkpoint known as “Regavim” near the crossing, where Israeli forces will verify identities against intelligence-approved lists and conduct thorough searches of personal belongings.
Israel seized control of the Rafah crossing in May 2024, cutting off a vital route for Palestinians in need of urgent medical care abroad. While several thousand patients have been permitted to leave Gaza for treatment via Israel over the past year, the United Nations says many more still require medical evacuation.
