Gaza’s Rafah border crossing reopened Monday as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, though the reopening remained limited to only 50 medical evacuees plus escorts and 50 Palestinians able to return home. The crossing, Gaza’s only gateway to the outside world not controlled by Israel, had been shuttered since Israeli troops seized it in May 2024.
The reopening marks a significant step in implementing the ceasefire after nearly two years of conflict. However, the initial movement falls sharply short of humanitarian need on the ground.
“We hope this will close off Israel’s pretexts and open the crossing,” said Abdel-Rahman Radwan, a Gaza City resident whose mother is a cancer patient and requires treatment outside Gaza.
Initial Numbers Fall Far Short
The reopening began with minimal figures. According to Israeli and Egyptian officials, only 50 medical evacuees from Gaza are allowed to cross initially, along with two people escorting them. Simultaneously, 50 Palestinians who fled Gaza during the war can return home.
Gaza’s Health Ministry estimates roughly 20,000 sick and wounded people require treatment abroad. More than 30,000 Palestinians registered in Cairo are seeking to return to Gaza, according to an embassy official speaking on condition of anonymity because talks are ongoing.
Israeli officials gave no timeline for a full reopening. “Crossing restrictions are expected to ease over time if the reopening is successful,” they said.
Humanitarian Needs Remain Dire
The United Nations has said Gaza’s population of over 2 million people needs a massive influx of fuel, food, medicine and tents. Much of the territory has been turned to rubble during the conflict.
How quickly the crossing can scale operations to move goods will significantly affect Gaza’s reconstruction. Palestinians seeking to leave Gaza must obtain both Israeli and Egyptian security approval. Egypt has opposed Palestinian refugees permanently resettling in the country, which could limit long-term movement through the crossing.
Operations and Governance Questions Loom
An EU mission is currently running the crossing with assistance from plainclothes Palestinian security officers — an arrangement similar to one used during a brief ceasefire at the start of 2025. Who will operate Gaza’s side of the crossing once the war formally ends remains unclear, particularly with the ceasefire stipulating that Hamas have no role in governing Gaza.
Israeli control of the crossing may become a key point of leverage in postwar negotiations. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last week there would be no reconstruction in Gaza without demilitarization, a stance that could link the crossing’s full reopening to broader security arrangements.
The Trump administration’s postwar vision for Gaza also remains under development. Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and Middle East adviser, said last month that postwar construction would first focus on building “workforce housing” in Rafah, the enclave’s southernmost city located near the crossing.
A Palestinian committee of administrators appointed to govern day-to-day affairs in Gaza under the international “Board of Peace” proposed by President Trump remains in Cairo, without Israeli authorization to enter.