Gaza Herald – Preparations are underway for the first limited passenger movements through the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, marking the first reopening since Israeli forces destroyed and shut the crossing during the Rafah invasion in May 2024. The reopening came under strict Israeli security oversight and heavy movement restrictions.
The Israeli army announced it had completed a new inspection corridor for travelers entering Gaza from Egypt, dubbed the “Regavim” passage, fully administered by Israeli security services inside an area under Israeli military control. According to the army, only individuals pre-approved by Israeli security agencies would be permitted to pass.
Israeli officials described the reopening as a “trial phase,” coordinated with Egypt and a European Union mission. While EU personnel were tasked with preliminary identity checks, Israeli forces retained final authority through additional screening procedures along military-controlled corridors.
The reopening allows limited travel in both directions, including the potential evacuation of wounded and critically ill Palestinians. The World Health Organization is expected to oversee medical transfers, amid warnings that Gaza’s collapsed health system cannot meet urgent needs.
However, stark disparities remain between humanitarian needs and imposed restrictions. Israeli estimates cap daily departures at roughly 150 people, while Gaza authorities report that more than 22,000 patients and wounded civilians urgently require treatment abroad, meaning full evacuation could take nearly five months at the current rate.
Beyond passenger movement, uncertainty persists over aid access. The reopening focuses narrowly on individuals, despite Gaza’s need for at least 600 aid trucks per day, raising concerns that Rafah’s operation may entrench control rather than ease the humanitarian catastrophe.
