Gaza Herald – Travel through Gaza’s Rafah crossing sharply declined after Israeli restrictions and security interference severely curtailed movement, according to field monitoring and official data released on Tuesday. Rights groups warned that the measures effectively strangled Gaza’s only gateway to the outside world, deepening the enclave’s isolation.
Data from Gaza’s Government Media Office showed that between February 2 and February 9, 2026, only 225 travelers were processed at Rafah, including 172 arrivals, while at least 26 passengers were forcibly turned back. In total, just 397 people crossed in both directions, out of an estimated 1,600 who were scheduled to travel, barely 25 percent of the expected number.
Human rights organizations attributed the collapse in travel to repeated Israeli violations, arbitrary security procedures, and ongoing disruptions that prevented the crossing from operating regularly. They accused Israel of using border crossings as a tool of collective punishment, denying Palestinians their right to freedom of movement under international humanitarian law.
Field reports also indicated that armed groups linked to Israel contributed to the crisis by threatening access routes to Rafah, detaining travelers, and handing some over to Israeli forces. The instability disproportionately affected patients, students, and holders of humanitarian residency permits.
As calls mounted for the safe and consistent reopening of Rafah, observers warned that continued restrictions entrenched a policy of collective punishment and reinforced Gaza’s enforced isolation, amid international silence and the absence of meaningful protection for Palestinian civilians.
