Palestinians Navigate Delays at Rafah Border Crossing Amid Ceasefire Deal
Palestinians on both sides of the Gaza-Egypt border are attempting to cross the Rafah crossing, a critical component of the United States-backed ceasefire agreement. The crossing reopened last week for the first time since 2024, with individuals hoping to traverse the border on Sunday, marking one of the primary conditions for the fragile truce. This development coincides with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's anticipated visit to Washington this week, although his office indicated that discussions will predominantly focus on Iran.
Limited Crossings and Medical Evacuations
The Rafah crossing opened to a small number of Palestinians in each direction last week, following Israel's retrieval of the final hostage body from Gaza and visits by American officials urging the reopening. According to United Nations data, over the initial four days of operation, only 36 Palestinians requiring medical care were permitted to leave for Egypt, accompanied by 62 companions. Palestinian authorities report that nearly 20,000 people in Gaza are seeking to exit for medical treatment unavailable in the war-devastated territory.
Those who have managed to cross described significant delays and accusations of mistreatment by Israeli forces and other groups involved in the process, including an Israeli-backed Palestinian armed faction known as Abu Shabab. On Sunday morning, a group of Palestinian patients and wounded individuals gathered in the courtyard of a Red Crescent hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, before heading to the Rafah crossing for overseas treatment, as relayed by family members to The Associated Press.
Personal Accounts of Hardship
Amjad Abu Jedian, injured during the conflict, was scheduled to leave Gaza for medical care on the first day of the crossing's reopening, but only five patients were allowed to travel that day, according to his mother, Raja Abu Jedian. She explained that Abu Jedian was shot by an Israeli sniper while constructing traditional bathrooms in the central Bureij refugee camp in July 2024. On Saturday, the family received a notification from the World Health Organization that he is included in the group traveling on Sunday.
"We want them to take care of the patients during their evacuation," she said. "We want the Israeli military not to burden them." The Israeli defense branch overseeing the crossing operation did not immediately confirm the opening. Meanwhile, Egypt's state-run Al-Qahera News satellite television reported that a group of Palestinians arrived at the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing on Sunday morning to return to the Gaza Strip.
Operational Challenges and Restrictions
Palestinians who returned to Gaza in the early days of the crossing's operation recounted hours of delays and invasive searches conducted by Israeli authorities and the Abu Shabab group. The border crossing is managed by a European Union mission and Palestinian officials, with Israel maintaining a screening facility at a distance. Reopened on February 2 as part of the ceasefire deal that halted the war between Israel and Hamas, the Rafah crossing experienced closures on Friday and Saturday due to confusion surrounding its operation.
Prior to the war, the Rafah crossing served as an essential lifeline for Palestinians in Gaza, being the only crossing not under Israeli control. Israel seized the Palestinian side of Rafah in May 2024, though traffic had been heavily restricted even before that. Negotiations involving Israeli, Egyptian, Palestinian, and international officials set limits allowing 50 people to return to Gaza daily and 50 medical patients—each with two companions—to leave. However, far fewer individuals than expected have crossed in both directions, highlighting ongoing challenges in the region's recovery efforts.
