Rafah Crossing to Partially Reopen Monday Amid Lingering Fears and Unmet Aid Needs

After being sealed for nearly two years, the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt is set for a cautious, limited reopening on Monday. Israeli authorities describe the move as a "pilot phase," coordinated with Egypt and the European Union, to allow the evacuation of critically ill and wounded Palestinians for treatment abroad.

The Israeli military's Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) stated Sunday that the crossing would initially operate for pedestrians only, with movement in both directions. The announcement follows the completion of a new Israeli screening facility adjacent to the crossing, intended to vet all those passing through.

Rafah is Gaza's sole gateway not directly controlled by Israel. Its closure since May 2024 has trapped thousands needing urgent medical care. According to Gaza's Government Media Office, an estimated 22,000 sick and wounded are in dire need of treatment unavailable in the territory's decimated healthcare system. Simultaneously, about 80,000 Palestinians who left during the conflict are seeking to return.

"This creates an impossible choice," said Al Jazeera correspondent Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Khan Younis. "Families are desperate for life-saving care, but terrified that leaving might mean never coming home."

Initial operations will be tightly restricted. Egyptian officials, speaking to Reuters, said approximately 200 people—patients and accompanying family members—would be allowed to cross into Egypt daily in the first days, with 50 permitted to return to Gaza. Lists of travelers have been submitted by Cairo and approved by Israeli authorities.

The partial reopening touches a fraction of the need. It also leaves unaddressed the catastrophic aid shortage. The UN estimates Gaza requires at least 600 trucks of humanitarian supplies daily, a target far from being met. In a move criticized by aid groups, Israel announced Sunday it would terminate the operations of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Gaza, accusing the organization of failing to provide staff lists as required.

"This decision weaponizes bureaucracy against humanitarian imperatives," said Dr. James Smith, a London-based emergency physician. "It follows the systematic destruction of Gaza's health system, which has killed over 1,700 healthcare workers and created profound dependency."

The reopening was a stipulated element of the fragile ceasefire that took effect last October. However, the truce has been repeatedly breached. Israeli attacks across Gaza on Sunday killed at least three people, following a day where air raids claimed 31 lives. Since the ceasefire began, Israeli forces have killed at least 511 Palestinians and wounded 1,405, according to medical sources.

For families like that of Abed El Halim Abo Askar, a 65-year-old cancer patient, the crossing's opening is a bittersweet development. His surgery was scheduled for October 10, 2023, but was postponed by the war's onset. His daughter and her family were killed in an Israeli airstrike that same month. "Every day they say 'be patient, the crossing will open,'" his son Ahmed told Al Jazeera. "My father has waited over two years. We have no medicine, no hospitals left. This hope feels very thin."

Voices from the Readers

David Chen, Policy Analyst in Brussels: "This is a minimal, tactical concession. While any movement is better than none, it does not address the root cause of the crisis: the blockade and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. Humanitarian access must be unconditional."

Sarah Johnson, Nurse & Former Aid Worker: "My heart breaks for the families facing this horrific choice—seek treatment and risk permanent displacement, or stay and suffer. The international monitoring presence is crucial to ensure safe passage and return."

Markus Schreiber, Political Commentator: "A 'pilot phase'? This is a cynical public relations move designed to deflect from the ongoing violence and the deliberate strangulation of aid. They're offering a trickle of medical evacuations while simultaneously expelling MSF. It's obscene."

Amira Hassan, Academic specializing in Migration Studies: "The fear of non-return is deeply rooted in historical precedent. Without ironclad guarantees and third-party oversight, this reopening could accelerate the fragmentation of Palestinian society in Gaza."