Rafah crossing partially opens for limited pedestrian movement under ceasefire; aid trucks still barred

The Rafah border crossing partially reopened on a trial basis on Monday after being closed for two years, under the terms of the ongoing ceasefire agreement. According to the Israeli military unit COGAT, the crossing was opened under Israeli political directives to allow a limited number of Gaza residents to pass. The European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM Rafah) is coordinating the pilot phase with Egypt and other relevant parties.

Limited Two-Way Passage Only

Israeli media reported that pedestrian crossings are set to begin on Tuesday, with up to 150 people allowed to leave Gaza and 50 to return daily. All movements will be based on lists provided by Egypt 24 hours in advance and approved by Israel, with Israeli security checks conducted before individuals reach the EU-monitored crossing zone. Notably, humanitarian aid trucks from Egypt are still not permitted to enter Gaza through Rafah.

Context of the Ceasefire Agreement

Under the October 10 ceasefire agreement, Israel retains control over the so-called “Yellow Line” area in Rafah. Although Israel had committed to reopening Rafah in the first phase of the truce, it had previously refused to fulfill this obligation. The crossing has remained under Israeli control since May 2024.

Regional Condemnation of Israeli Violations

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates strongly condemned Israel’s repeated violations of the ceasefire, which have resulted in over 1,000 Palestinian casualties. They warned that these actions risk escalating tensions and undermining efforts to implement the second phase of the U.S.-proposed peace plan and UN Security Council Resolution 2803.