Israel to Permit Gaza Residents' Return Via Rafah Crossing

Israel has announced it will permit Palestinian residents stranded outside Gaza to return through the Rafah border crossing for the first time since the conflict began in October 2023. The arrangement, detailed in the ceasefire agreement's humanitarian annex, requires establishing coordination mechanisms with Egyptian authorities before implementation can commence.

Israeli Army Radio confirmed the policy shift but noted returns will only begin after establishing operational procedures with Egypt. The mechanism will determine eligibility criteria, processing scope, and implementation timelines for Gazans who exited through Egypt during the conflict. The same framework will also manage departures from Gaza to Egypt under European Union supervision.

The ceasefire agreement mandates daily entry of 600 aid trucks carrying food, medical supplies, shelter materials, fuel, and cooking gas through UN agencies, international organizations, and private sector channels. Additionally, humanitarian convoys will receive permission to travel freely between southern and northern Gaza using Salah al-Din and al-Rashid roads, reconnecting divided territories.

The new return mechanism builds upon January 2025 agreements that allowed limited medical evacuations from Gaza through UN coordination, though some critically ill patients faced travel restrictions. The current provisions represent significantly expanded humanitarian access following the comprehensive ceasefire agreement recently reached between the conflicting parties.