Post is the only entry and exit point between the Gaza Strip and the outside that does not pass through Israel
Israel reopened on a limited basis this Sunday (1) the Rafah crossing, between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, vital for sending humanitarian aid, which at the moment can only be used by residents of the territory and under drastic conditions. THE post is the only entry and exit point between the Gaza Strip and the exterior that does not pass through Israel. The Israeli decision is “in accordance with the ceasefire agreement.”
“In this context, an initial pilot phase began today in coordination with the European Union mission (EUBAM) and the competent authorities,” highlighted Cogat, an organization within the Israeli Ministry of Defense that oversees civil issues in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The border crossing has been closed since Israeli forces took control of the post in May 2024with the exception of a limited reopening in early 2025 under a previous truce. The total reopening is planned as part of United States President Donald Trump’s plan to definitively end the war that began on October 7, 2023 with Hamas’ violent attack against Israel.
The reopening, insistently requested by the UN and international NGOs to allow aid to enter Palestinian territory, was only possible because of the The corpse was returned to Israel on January 26.
According to a source from the Gaza Ministry of Health, which operates under the authority of Hamas, “almost 200 sick people” were waiting for the reopening to receive treatment in Egypt. In addition, 40 Palestinian Authority employees were awaiting Israeli authorization to return in Egypt.
The very limited reopening comes in the context of a fragile truce between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas. On Saturday, Israeli bombings left 32 dead, according to the Gaza Civil Defense, one of the most violent days since the beginning of the truce, on October 10, 2025.
*With AFP
