A first group of Palestinians crossed this Monday from Egypt to Gaza through the , in the south of the strip, after the reopening of this vital crossing that had been closed for two years and whose implementation was a central part of the peace plan sponsored by the American president, Egyptian media reported, EFE reports. It is the main means of communication with the world for Gazans, which reopens after a genocide that has left more than 70,000 dead by Israel.
According to live Egyptian television, the Palestinians arrived at the international crossing area around 7:30 a.m. local time (one hour less in Madrid) and since then they are still finishing the entire bureaucratic process to gain access to the enclave. The images mainly show women and children getting out of minibuses, surrounded by members of the Egyptian Red Crescent, some of them helping older women with wheelchairs.
Israel indicated that the crossing has been opened as a test and the Israeli military agency that manages aid to Gaza indicates that, for now, only a small number of people will be able to cross.
Israel’s long-awaited step comes a day after its soldiers killed at least 30 Palestinians, including several children, according to hospital officials, one of the highest death tolls since the ceasefire began on October 10. Israel had accused of new violations of the truce.
Nicolay Mladenov, director general of US President Trump’s office, urged the parties to exercise restraint and said his office was working with the new Palestinian committee appointed to oversee Gaza to find ways to prevent future incidents.
Israel called the seizure of the Rafah crossing in 2024 part of efforts to “combat arms smuggling” by Hamas. The crossing was very briefly opened for the evacuation of patients during a ceasefire in early 2025. Israel had resisted reopening the Rafah crossing, but the recovery of the remains of the last hostage in Gaza last week paved the way to move forward.
the Israeli army controls the area between the Rafah crossing and the area where the majority of Palestinians live.
A vital crack
The Rafah crossing has remained virtually closed since Israel seized it in May 2024. Some 20,000 Palestinian children and adults in need of medical care are waiting to leave war-torn Gaza through the crossing, and thousands of Palestinians outside the territory are waiting to return to their homes. .
Initially, few people and no cargo will be allowed to cross, says Tel Aviv, despite the humanitarian emergency in the Palestinian territory. The Prime Minister, , has declared that Israel will allow the daily departure of 50 patients who need medical evacuation. However, Egyptian security sources informed EFE that the crossing will have the capacity to process about 200 people a day: 150 who will leave the enclave compared to 50 who will access the Palestinian territory. There is room, then, for more.
Al Qahera News also indicated that hospitals in the northern Sinai region – where Rafah is located – are “on alert to receive the sick and injured who will arrive from Gaza.”
An official involved in the talks, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss diplomatic talks, said each patient can travel with two family members, while 50 people who left Gaza during the war can return each day.
Israel has stated that, together with Egypt, it will verify the entry and exit of people through the border crossing, which will be supervised by European Union (EU) border patrol agents, whose force may include Spanish civil guards. The number of travelers is expected to increase over time if the system is successful.
Israel to stop MSF work
Also on Sunday, the Israeli Diaspora Ministry announced that it was “taking steps to finalize” them by February 28.
In December, Israel suspended the group’s operations there because it refused to comply with new registration requirements for organizations to submit lists of local employees. The medical charity claimed the regulations could endanger Palestinian staff.
Doctors Without Borders has repeatedly stated that Israel’s decision will have a catastrophic impact on its work in Gaza, where it provides international funding and staff to six hospitals and operates two field hospitals and eight primary care centres, clinics and medical posts. It also runs two of Gaza’s five stabilization centers that help severely malnourished children.
