Israel has partially reopened the Rafah crossing with Egypt after more than one-and-a-half years, allowing many ill Palestinians to cross into the neighbouring country for medical treatment, officials said on Monday.
Both Egyptian and Israeli security sources confirmed that the border was reopened on Monday, enabling ill Palestinians to leave Gaza, which has been devastated by two years of relentless war.
Palestinians who fled their homes during the conflict will also be permitted to return to Gaza.
An Israeli official said: “As of this time, and following the arrival of the EUBAM teams on behalf of the European Union, the Rafah crossing has now opened to the movement of residents, for both entry and exit.”
“The opening of the Rafah crossing marks a concrete and positive step in the peace plan. The EU’s civilian mission is on the ground to monitor crossing operations and support Palestinian border guards,” said European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas.
Also read: Israel to partially reopen Rafah crossing today
State-run Israeli outlets reported that at least 50 people were expected to enter Gaza on Monday, while approximately 150 people—including 50 patients—would be allowed to leave for Egypt.
Egyptian state-linked outlets, however, contradicted the figures, stating that only 50 people from each side were expected to cross on Monday.
Meanwhile, Gaza hospitals reported on Saturday that as many as 30 people, including children, had been killed in recent violence.
Israeli armed forces seized control of the Rafah crossing in May 2024, exacerbating the humanitarian and economic crisis in the Gaza Strip.
Rafah is the only crossing between Egypt and Gaza that is not controlled by Israel. The blockade since 2024 has severely worsened the health crisis, with hundreds of injured Palestinians requiring medical treatment abroad.
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