Rafah Crossing Reopens: A Lifeline for Gaza's Civilians Amid Ongoing Conflict
GAZA, Feb 2 (Reuters) – After nearly a year of near-total closure, the Rafah border crossing—the only direct link between the Gaza Strip and Egypt—partially reopened on Monday, allowing a limited number of Palestinians to cross on foot. The move offers a critical, if narrow, corridor for civilians seeking medical treatment abroad or attempting to return to what remains of their homes.
The crossing, seized by Israeli forces in May 2024 during the ongoing war with Hamas, had been sealed shut, severing the primary escape route for Gaza's 2.3 million residents. Its reopening, though heavily restricted, signals a tentative shift in access for a population enduring severe humanitarian crisis.
Anatomy of a Lifeline
The Rafah crossing sits at Gaza's southern frontier with Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. Adjacent to the now-demolished city of Rafah, it is the sole passenger terminal not controlled by Israel. The surrounding border zone, known as the Philadelphi Corridor, was historically riddled with smuggling tunnels used to bypass the Israeli-led blockade. Today, the crossing is overseen by Israeli security with EU and Palestinian Authority monitors present.
Strict Quotas and Unmet Needs
Authorities will permit only about 50 people to enter and a similar number to exit Gaza daily, contingent on security approvals from both Israel and Egypt. The limited quota falls far short of demand: an estimated 100,000 Palestinians who fled early in the conflict now seek to return, while roughly 20,000 medical patients require urgent evacuation for treatment unavailable in Gaza's decimated healthcare system.
Diplomatic sources indicate Israel is likely to allow more departures than arrivals, aligning with the Netanyahu government's stated objective of encouraging Palestinian emigration from the enclave. Notably, the reopening does not extend to foreign journalists, who remain barred from entering Gaza since the war's onset, forcing international outlets to rely solely on local reporters—hundreds of whom have been killed.
A Network of Controlled Access
Gaza's other main crossing, Kerem Shalom in the southeast, has remained operational for humanitarian and commercial goods but is largely closed to Palestinian movement. Before the war, the Erez crossing in the north served as another passenger route but has been shut since October 2023. The partial reopening of Rafah thus represents the first significant, though minimal, relaxation of the stringent containment policy.
Voices from the Ground
"My sister needs chemotherapy that simply doesn't exist here anymore. This reopening is her only chance," said Layla Hassan, a teacher in Khan Younis. "But the bureaucracy and the quotas mean we're racing against time."
"It's a political gesture, not a humanitarian one," argued David Chen, a security analyst based in Tel Aviv. "Controlling the flow maintains pressure on Hamas while offering a controlled outlet to ease international criticism."
"A trickle when we need a flood," snapped Sarah Al-Jamal, a diaspora activist in London. "Fifty people a day? It's a cruel joke. This is about managing optics, not saving lives. The world watches a door crack open while an entire population is suffocating behind it."
"Any movement is positive, but sustainability is key," noted Michael Rostov, a UN aid coordinator in Cairo. "This must become a reliable, scaled-up corridor for both civilians and essential supplies if we are to prevent a complete collapse."
Reporting by Rami Ayyub; Editing by Mark Heinrich