Cairo: Efforts are intensifying to fully reopen the Rafah border crossing, Gaza’s only gateway to the outside world, with Israeli, Palestinian and Egyptian officials signaling that final preparations are in progress. The crossing shuttered since May 2024 amid intense conflict and Israeli military control of the Palestinian side has left nearly 2 million Gazans largely isolated from regular travel and commerce. The planned reopening represents a critical humanitarian and political milestone after prolonged closure and restricted movement.
Israeli authorities, through COGAT (the coordinator of government activities in the territories), confirmed that logistical, security and coordination mechanisms are being put in place ahead of an initial phased resumption of operations. Under the first stage, movement will be limited and highly controlled, with only pedestrian transit expected to begin while security screening systems are finalised. The crossing’s restart could occur as early as the start of the coming week, officials said, with priority given to Palestinians who require urgent medical treatment abroad and others whose travel has already been vetted by Israeli security services. Egyptian and European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) personnel are expected to play active roles in managing the flow and enhancing procedural coordination.
The closure of Rafah in mid-2024 followed a major Israeli military offensive and subsequent control over Gaza’s southern border point, effectively cutting off the enclave from direct access to Egypt. Since then, residents have faced severe restrictions on travel for medical care, education, family reunifications, and business, compounding the humanitarian stress already felt from conflict-related destruction of infrastructure, limited supplies and economic stagnation. The reopening of Rafah, even on a restricted basis, is widely seen by analysts and humanitarian groups as a necessary step toward breaking Gaza’s isolation, though it falls short of a full resumption of goods and aid movement.
Under current proposals, early operations may allow 150–200 Palestinians per day to cross, with many departures outnumbering entries because patients travel with attendants who accompany them to treatment centres abroad. Israeli authorities have reportedly approved lists of eligible travellers submitted by Egyptian counterparts. Once advanced identification and screening systems are fully functional, the crossing is expected to open in both directions more broadly, facilitating travel into and out of the Gaza Strip. However, growing demand and existing security protocols mean that the initial phase will remain highly regulated.
The reopening plan is intrinsically linked to a U.S.-brokered roadmap that helped establish a fragile ceasefire in October 2025 and set out steps for stabilization and confidence-building measures between Israel and Hamas. Although the ceasefire has largely held, intermittent violence and unresolved disputes over disarmament, governance arrangements, and future security guarantees continue to cloud prospects for a comprehensive settlement. Within this complex diplomatic context, Rafah’s reopening is seen as an important confidence-building measure that may ease humanitarian pressure on civilians and support broader negotiations.
Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly called for the crossing’s restoration, noting that its closure has severely restricted access to essential medical services and disrupted the flow of international relief supplies, even as temporary corridors for aid remain limited. While the current plan focuses on controlled human movement, advocates argue that expanding cargo passage and reducing bureaucratic obstacles will be crucial for long-term recovery and economic revitalization in Gaza.
As preparations move forward, officials from Israel, Egypt and international partners are expected to continue discussions on operational modalities, security coordination and monitoring frameworks to ensure that reopening steps can proceed without triggering renewed tensions. For Gazans on the ground, even a partial reopening of Rafah represents a significant change in daily reality, offering the hope of reconnecting with the outside world after nearly two years of isolation.