Gazas Rafah Crossing Ready to Resume Operations on Monday

Israel to Reopen Rafah Crossing with Egypt in Limited Pilot Phase

The Israeli military agency COGAT announced on Sunday that it will reopen the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt in a limited “pilot phase” starting on Monday. The crossing, which has been largely shut for nearly two years, will allow only a few Palestinians to pass through.

According to COGAT, the crossing will operate in both directions for Gaza residents on foot only, with its operation coordinated with Egypt and the European Union. A complex has been completed as a screening facility for Palestinians passing in and out of Gaza through the crossing.

The Rafah crossing was jointly managed by Palestinian and Egyptian authorities before Israel seized it in May 2024 during the country’s conflict with Gaza. Approximately 80,000 Palestinians who left Gaza during this period are seeking to return, while an estimated 22,000 wounded and sick people are in dire need of leaving Gaza for treatment abroad.

On Sunday, at least 50 Palestinian patients were processed to cross into Egypt for treatment, with approximately 200 people, including patients and their family members, expected to transit daily into Egypt through the crossing. Lists of Palestinians set to pass through have been submitted by Egypt and approved by Israel.

Video footage showed ambulances lined up on the Egyptian side of the border, preparing to receive medical evacuees. A 65-year-old Palestinian man with cancer was among those seeking medical care abroad, having been postponed from an operation due to the war. His family expressed concern about his treatment options and the need for urgent medical attention.

The reopening of the crossing is a result of a pilot phase as part of the US-led ceasefire agreement that came into effect in October 2023. However, the truce has been repeatedly shaken by rounds of violence, with Israeli forces carrying out attacks across Gaza on Sunday, killing at least three people.

Source: Al Jazeera