Gaza’s Rafah crossing reopens, but Israel’s siege continues

Shafaq News– Jerusalem/ Cairo

The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt will reopen for limited civilian movement on February 2, Israel announced on Sunday, after nearly two years of closure during the war.

In a statement, Israel’s military liaison body COGAT said the crossing will initially operate under a pilot phase coordinated with Egypt and the European Union, allowing Palestinians to enter and exit Gaza on foot only under strict security checks.

An Israeli official told Reuters the crossing is expected to handle between 150 and 200 people per day in total, with more departures than returns. Many of those leaving are sick or wounded patients seeking medical treatment abroad, accompanied by family members.

Rafah, Gaza’s only direct civilian exit not previously controlled by Israel, has been largely closed since May 2024 and remains under Israeli military control on the Gaza side. Despite its limited reopening, the Strip remains under a tight Israeli blockade that has severely restricted the movement of people and goods since the war began in October 2023. Israeli forces control all other crossings into the enclave, while access by sea and air is fully sealed, leaving Gaza’s more than two million residents largely cut off from the outside world.

The United Nations has repeatedly warned that the siege has contributed to acute shortages of food, medicine, fuel, and clean water, with hospitals operating beyond capacity and thousands of patients unable to leave for treatment.

Still, today’s reopening is a key requirement of the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Gaza war. Later stages envisage a Palestinian technocratic administration for Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the deployment of an international security presence, followed by reconstruction. Hamas has rejected calls to disarm.

Israel, meanwhile, continues to violate the ongoing ceasefire. Gaza health authorities earlier said more than 500 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since the truce took effect.

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