Gaza Herald – The first bus carrying 12 Palestinians crossed into Gaza late Monday through the Rafah border crossing, marking a tightly restricted reopening after nearly two years of closure, according to local sources.
The bus arrived at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, with officials confirming that only a small number of returnees were allowed in this initial phase, underscoring the limited scope of the reopening.
Egyptian media reported that the move coincided with the departure of wounded and sick Palestinians from Gaza into Egypt, under a mechanism allowing 50 returnees into Gaza in exchange for 50 patients leaving for medical treatment.
Israeli media, meanwhile, said Tel Aviv approved the entry of 50 Palestinians into Gaza, while permitting 150 patients and companions to exit for treatment, as Gaza authorities estimate around 22,000 patients remain in urgent need of travel through Rafah.
Rafah is Gaza’s only gateway to the outside world for more than two million people and a lifeline for medical evacuations and aid. The crossing has remained under Israeli control since early 2024 and sustained heavy damage during the war, making its partial reopening symbolically significant but operationally limited.
