Gaza Herald – Gaza was once again cut off from the outside world on Saturday after Israel shut down the Rafah crossing with Egypt, sealing the enclave’s last remaining gateway and tightening its isolation amid escalating regional tensions.
The closure followed joint Israeli-U.S. strikes on Iran, a significant escalation that has raised fears of a wider regional conflict. Israel’s military liaison body described the decision as a “security adjustment,” but for Palestinians in Gaza, it meant the immediate loss of their only limited outlet beyond the besieged territory.
Authorities also announced the postponement of humanitarian staff rotations, compounding concerns among aid groups already struggling to operate under severe constraints.
Rafah had only recently reopened to restricted civilian movement after months of closure during Israel’s genocide. Its renewed shutdown halts medical evacuations, further limits humanitarian access, and deepens the enclave’s isolation at a time when infrastructure remains devastated and basic services are barely functioning.
Much of Gaza’s healthcare system has collapsed, food supplies remain tightly controlled, and displacement has become nearly universal among the population of more than two million. With aid pipelines fragile and movement heavily restricted, the sealing of Rafah narrows escape routes and intensifies uncertainty for civilians already enduring catastrophic conditions.
