Israel has reopened Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt on Monday for limited traffic, according to Egyptian and Israeli officials in a major step forward in the US-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
An Egyptian official, speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity, said that 50 Palestinians would be allowed to cross in each direction on the first day the border opens, which has been closed for nearly two years.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel will allow up to 50 patients a day to depart Gaza, accompanied by two relatives of their choosing. He also noted that 50 Palestinians wishing to return home will be given passage daily.
About 20,000 Palestinians in the enclave are hoping to leave the territory to receive medical treatment, according to local health officials. If the current quotas remain in place, it will take over one year for those in need to receive medical attention.
The United Nations said as many as 100,000 Palestinians are estimated to have left the Strip during the war, with many of them seeking refuge in Egypt. At this rate, it could take more than five years to repatriate those displaced.
The Egyptian Health Ministry said on Monday that 150 hospitals around the country have been prepared to receive Palestinian patients and wounded who will be evacuated from Gaza through Rafah in the days and weeks to come.
Israel has said that it will vet together with Egypt those leaving the territory through the crossing, a process which will be supervised by EU border patrol agents with a small Palestinian presence.
EU foreign policy chief applauded the decision on Monday, calling it "a concrete and positive step in the peace plan."
For Gaza’s sick and wounded, the reopening is a lifeline. It will allow families to reunite after far too long apart. Practical steps like this help move the truce plan forward and must continue," Kallas wrote in a post on X.
Officials did hint at a possible increase in the number of travellers allowed to cross each day if the system is successful, but have given no timeframes.
Israeli soldiers shuttered the Rafah crossing in May 2024, claiming it was essential to prevent Hamas militants from cross-border arms smuggling. The crossing was briefly opened for several days for medical evacuations during a ceasefire in January 2025, but not for civilian movement.
Israel has hesitated to reopen the crossing despite a ceasefire agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump, which has been in effect since October.
However, the return of the body of the final Israeli hostage held in Gaza last week has paved the way for the reopening, allowing the existing truce to advance to the second phase, aimed at establishing governance, rebuilding and disarming the Strip.
