Israel to reopen Rafah crossing for limited travel from Wednesday

Israel announced Sunday that the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt will reopen for movement in both directions starting Wednesday, allowing limited travel of people after weeks of closure. Israeli government agency COGAT said in a statement the decision was made following "a security assessment and an examination of the conditions enabling the resumption of operations at the crossing."

Operational details

The terminal will operate with limited passenger movement while maintaining "the necessary security restrictions in light of the security situation and the threats in the area," the statement added. COGAT said the crossing will function under the same mechanism that existed before its closure and subject to relevant security directives. The movement of passengers through the crossing will take place in coordination with Egypt, after prior security approval by Israel and under the supervision of the European Union mission. Additional screening and identification procedures will be conducted along the "Regavim" route operated by Israel in areas under army control.

Background of closures

On Feb. 2, Israel partially reopened the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, which it has occupied since May 2024, but under very limited conditions and strict restrictions. On Feb. 28, however, Israel announced the closure of all crossings in the Palestinian territories until further notice following the outbreak of war with Iran. On March 3, the Israeli army said it had begun a gradual reopening of the Kerem Shalom crossing under security restrictions, claiming that the entry of aid into Gaza would be based on needs identified by the UN and international humanitarian groups.

Humanitarian context

Palestinian estimates in Gaza indicate that around 22,000 wounded people and patients need to leave the enclave for treatment abroad amid the collapse of the territory's healthcare system following a two-year Israeli war. Before the war, hundreds of Palestinians used the Rafah crossing daily to travel to Egypt, while hundreds returned to the enclave in regular movement. At the time, the crossing was operated by Gaza's Interior Ministry in coordination with Egypt, without Israeli involvement.

Ceasefire context

A ceasefire agreement entered into force in Gaza on Oct. 10, 2025, following the Israeli war that left more than 72,000 Palestinians dead and over 171,000 injured while destroying about 90% of the enclave's civilian infrastructure, with reconstruction costs estimated by the UN at around $70 billion. The limited reopening of Rafah offers a small measure of relief for Gazans needing medical care abroad, though restrictions remain severe.