Gaza’s Rafah border crossing, the main gateway to the outside world that is not controlled by Israel, reopened this week under a fragile ceasefire-related process that Palestinian officials described as a “window of hope.” But the reopening quickly ran into disputes over who could travel, long delays, and complaints from Palestinian travelers about how they were handled by Israeli forces and an Israeli-backed Palestinian armed group.
Under restrictions negotiated by Israeli, Egyptian, Palestinian and international officials, the crossing allowed only small numbers of people each day. The terms set a daily cap of 50 people allowed to return to Gaza and 50 medical patients permitted to leave, alongside two companions for each patient—yet even those limits proved difficult to meet. The crossing later closed again on Friday and Saturday, adding to the uncertainty for people who had been waiting to travel.
The situation at the screening points sharpened attention on allegations of mistreatment. Several women who returned to Gaza after the reopening told The Associated Press that Israeli authorities subjected them to harsh treatment, and that an Israeli-backed armed group, Abu Shabab, was involved. The European Union mission and Palestinian officials ran the border crossing, while Israel maintained a screening facility farther away.
Rana al-Louh, who said she was anxious to return two years after fleeing to Egypt with her wounded sister, described questioning that lasted more than six hours. She said Israeli screeners asked multiple times why she wanted to go back to Gaza and that she was blindfolded and handcuffed. In her account, interrogators told her that Gaza belonged to Israel and that “the war would return,” and she said she told them she did not care and wanted to return.
Al-Louh told AP, “I told them I returned to Palestine because my husband and kids are there,” and she said an interviewer also told her that “Hamas won’t give up its weapons.” Asked about such accounts, Israel’s military said in a response that “no incidents of inappropriate conduct, mistreatment, apprehensions or confiscation of property by the Israeli security establishment are known.” The Shin Bet intelligence agency and COGAT, the Israeli military body that handles Palestinian civilian affairs and coordinates crossings, did not respond to questions about the allegations.
The questioning described by travelers and the timeline of approvals also affected how quickly people could reach Gaza. The report said the long questioning on Wednesday delayed al-Louh’s return until nearly 2 a.m. Thursday, and it also said that on Thursday U.N. human rights officials noted what they called a “consistent pattern of ill-treatment, abuse and humiliation by Israeli military forces.” Ajith Sunghay, the human rights chief for the occupied Palestinian territories, said in a statement that “After two years of utter devastation, being able to return to their families and what remains of their homes in safety and dignity is the bare minimum.”
Even as officials said the first phase would function as a pilot, the early days produced numbers below targets. On Monday, Israeli officials said 71 patients and companions were approved to leave Gaza, with 46 Palestinians approved to enter, but organizers with the World Health Organization were able to arrange transportation for only 12 people that day, according to a person briefed on the operations who spoke on condition of anonymity. The person briefed on the operations said Israeli officials then restricted admissions into Gaza until departures were complete, and that after only 12 people left, only 12 could enter—leaving others waiting on the Egyptian side overnight.
Crossings picked up on Tuesday, when the report said 40 people were allowed to leave Gaza and 40 to enter, but delays mounted as returning travelers brought more luggage than allowed and attempted to carry items forbidden under the agreement. The report said each traveler could carry one mobile phone and a small amount of money if they submitted a declaration 24 hours ahead of travel, and that complications over prohibited items—including cigarettes and water and other liquids such as perfume—contributed to the slowdown.
Some Palestinians who managed to make the journey said they were still grateful to return despite the difficulties. As Siham Omran’s return stretched into the early hours of Thursday, she said she thought about her children and her husband, whom she had not seen for 20 months, and that she was exhausted and stunned by Gaza’s devastation. She told AP, “This is a journey of suffering. Being away from home is difficult,” and also said, “Thank God we have returned to our country, our homes, and our homeland.” After arriving, Omran shared a tent with 15 family members, the report said.