Rafah Crossing to Reopen Under Tight Controls, Offering Cautious Hope for Gaza

JERUSALEM (AP) — After months of closure following its seizure by Israeli forces in May 2024, the Rafah crossing—Gaza's primary gateway to the outside world—is scheduled to reopen this Sunday. The announcement, made by Israeli authorities on Friday, forms a critical component of the second phase of the ongoing ceasefire negotiated by the United States.

The reopening ignites a complex mix of hope and frustration. For thousands of Palestinians wounded in the conflict who require urgent medical treatment abroad, and for tens of thousands more stranded outside the territory hoping to return home, the crossing represents a vital corridor. However, initial operations will be severely limited, with officials confirming that only "dozens" of individuals will be processed daily, and no commercial goods will be allowed passage.

"We are entering a phase of controlled access," a senior Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press. "The priority is to facilitate medical evacuations while maintaining security protocols."

The new arrangement establishes a multi-layered oversight system. Personnel from Israel, Egypt, and the European Union Border Assistance Mission will jointly manage the crossing. However, final authority over who enters and exits will remain with Israel. The Israeli military body COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories) stated that starting Sunday, a "limited movement of people only" would be permitted.

This controlled reopening follows intense diplomatic pressure and comes after the recovery of the remains of the final hostage held in Gaza, a key condition of the ceasefire's first phase. Ali Shaath, newly appointed to head the Palestinian administrative committee for Gaza, hailed the move in a late January statement, saying, "Opening Rafah signals Gaza is no longer closed to the future and to the world." Yet, Shaath and his committee remain in Cairo, awaiting Israeli authorization to enter Gaza themselves.

Medical Evacuations: A Slow Path Out

Preparations are focused first on evacuating the sick and wounded—a significant shift from pre-war norms when most medical exits were processed through Israel. Conflicting reports emerge on daily quotas; one Israeli official cited 50 entries and 50 exits, while another source familiar with the talks suggested 50 entries and 150 exits. Even at the more optimistic rate, the process would take over a year to clear the estimated 20,000 patients Gaza's health ministry says need external care.

"At this pace, it's a bureaucratic band-aid on a hemorrhaging wound," said Dr. Lena Khalidi, a surgeon in Amman who has been coordinating with medical NGOs on evacuations. "Every day of delay costs lives. The criteria and the quota are utterly disconnected from the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe."

An official at the Palestinian Embassy in Cairo, speaking anonymously, said at least 30,000 displaced persons have registered to return to Gaza, adding another layer of demand to the strained system.

A History of Control and Closure

The Rafah crossing has long been a barometer of the region's politics. After Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, Egypt and Israel imposed a joint blockade. Subsequent openings and closures, often tied to Egypt's internal politics, gave rise to a vast tunnel network beneath the border—an economic lifeline that also funneled weapons and funds, with Hamas reportedly collecting millions in taxes.

Under the new ceasefire framework, Israel retains military control of the Philadelphi Corridor between the crossing and Gaza's populated zones. COGAT will bus approved individuals to and from the terminal, where additional screenings will be conducted. Palestinian Authority officers, in plain clothes, are expected to handle passport stamping—a symbolic return to pre-2007 procedures.

Unanswered Questions and Leverage

Critical details remain unresolved, including when truck traffic for aid and commerce might resume. Humanitarian agencies warn that the ban on goods undermines recovery efforts in a territory facing severe shortages of medicine, fuel, and basic supplies.

"This isn't just about people; it's about sustenance and survival," noted James Foley, a former UN aid coordinator based in Cyprus. "A crossing closed to goods keeps Gaza on life support, preventing real economic revival. The current arrangement gives Israel profound leverage over Gaza's future."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has explicitly linked Gaza's reconstruction to its demilitarization, stating his focus remains on dismantling Hamas's military capabilities and tunnel network. This stance positions control over Rafah as a key strategic asset in the fraught negotiations ahead.

For displaced families, the news brings a weary, tempered optimism. Omar al-Yazji, a teacher awaiting return in Cairo with his family, offered a more measured perspective: "It's a first step, however small. After so many broken promises, we watch and wait. Getting home, even to ruins, is everything. But the devil is in the details—who gets to cross, and how long will this window stay open?"

As Sunday approaches, the Rafah crossing stands not as an open door, but as a narrowly monitored gate, its operation a delicate test of the ceasefire's durability and the international community's ability to address Gaza's profound human suffering.

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Associated Press writers Samy Magdy in Cairo and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed.

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