Women Returning to Gaza Allege Israeli Troops Bound and Interrogated Them at Rafah Crossing
The reopening of the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza was intended to offer a lifeline to the war-ravaged territory, but for the first group of Palestinians allowed to cross, the experience was described as more harrowing than a homecoming. Three women from this initial cohort have come forward with disturbing accounts of their treatment by Israeli security forces.
Accounts of Detention and Interrogation
In exclusive interviews with The Associated Press on Tuesday, the three women detailed a series of events they say unfolded after they entered Gaza on Monday. They allege that Israeli troops blindfolded and handcuffed them, subjected them to hours of interrogation, and issued threats, all while inflicting what they characterised as deeply humiliating treatment. The women were among just twelve Palestinians—primarily women, children, and the elderly—permitted to cross on the first day of the reopening.
Rotana al-Regeb, who returned with her mother Huda Abu Abed after leaving Gaza in March last year for medical treatment abroad, provided a detailed narrative. She described being taken by bus from the crossing to an Israeli military screening station. There, she said, members of an Israeli-backed Palestinian armed group searched their bags and persons before Israeli officers called them individually into a room.
"When I was called, I found my mother, who is in her 50s, kneeling on the floor, blindfolded with her hands handcuffed behind her back," al-Regeb stated. She was then subjected to the same restraints and taken to what she termed an "interrogation room—or, a humiliation room." The questioning focused on Hamas and other matters in Gaza, which she insisted were unrelated to her knowledge or activities.
Al-Regeb further claimed that soldiers pressured her to become an informant for the Israeli military, threatening her with detention and separation from her children. "There was no beating, but there were insults, threats, and psychological pressure," she recounted. Her mother, Abu Abed, corroborated this account to the AP.
Similar Testimonies and Official Responses
A third woman, Sabah al-Qara, a 57-year-old from Khan Younis who had left for medical treatment in Egypt in December 2023, gave a similar testimony. She described being handcuffed, blindfolded, and interrogated about events in Gaza. "We were outside Gaza and knew nothing…. The Israelis humiliated us," al-Qara said.
When questioned about these reports, the Israeli military issued a statement saying, "No incidents of inappropriate conduct, mistreatment, apprehensions, or confiscation of property by the Israeli security establishment are known." The Shin Bet intelligence agency and COGAT, the Israeli military body overseeing humanitarian aid in Gaza, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the specific allegations.
The Rafah Reopening Process and Broader Context
The reopening of Rafah, which had been closed for most of the Israel-Hamas war since Israeli forces seized it in May 2024, operates under a complex framework. A European Union mission and Palestinian officials manage the border crossing itself, but Israel must first approve the names of those entering. Israel then conducts its own screening at a facility some distance away, where authorities cross-check identities with Defense Ministry lists and inspect luggage.
Israel maintains that such checkpoints, both in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, are essential for security. However, Palestinians and human rights organisations have long alleged that Israel routinely mistreats Palestinians at these points, using them to gather intelligence and recruit informants.
A Long and Confusing Day for Returnees
The women's alleged ordeal capped an arduous and confusing day. Al-Regeb explained that 42 Palestinian patients and their relatives arrived at the Egyptian side of Rafah at 6 a.m., completing paperwork by 10 a.m. Monday. They then waited until approximately 6 p.m. for the gate to open, only for a single bus carrying twelve people to be allowed through.
Upon reaching the Gazan side, a European team searched their luggage—reportedly filled with gifts for relatives—and confiscated much of it, including mobile phones, food, and children's games. "We were only allowed to take the clothes on our backs and one bag per person," al-Regeb said. A diplomatic source, speaking anonymously, noted that returnees carried more luggage than anticipated, necessitating additional negotiations. The military stated the luggage policy had been published in advance without providing further details.
Aftermath and Wider Implications
After their release from the Israeli screening facility, UN buses transported the women to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, where they arrived at 1 a.m. on Tuesday. "Thank God that I have returned and found my loved ones. I am happy that I am in my nation, with my family and with my children," al-Regeb expressed.
Hamas strongly condemned Israel over the allegations, labelling the actions "fascist behavior and organized terrorism" and urging mediators to intervene to ensure traveller safety. Rights groups and Palestinian officials warn that such reported abuses during the initial reopening could deter others from attempting to cross, undermining confidence in a fragile humanitarian process.
The stakes are high, as more than 110,000 Palestinians left Gaza in the war's early months before Rafah closed, with thousands evacuated abroad for medical treatment. An estimated 30,000 have registered with the Palestinian Embassy in Egypt to return, according to an anonymous official. However, the crossing currently offers only a symbolic chance, with Israeli officials suggesting a limit of around 50 Palestinians per day.
The allegations from these first returnees cast a shadow over the reopening, highlighting the ongoing tensions and human rights concerns at one of Gaza's most critical portals.
