For the first time since Israel launched its devastating war on Gaza, the Rafah land crossing was partially reopened on Sunday in both directions — not as a gesture of freedom for Palestinians, but as a tightly controlled, experimental measure imposed under Egyptian and European supervision, and tied to the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza.
According to Egyptian sources, Palestinian security personnel arrived in the city of al-Arish at dawn, in preparation for assuming limited administrative duties at the crossing in the coming phase, within arrangements dictated by external parties and under Israeli oversight.
Israeli media reported that the Israeli occupation authorities have agreed to allow members of a so-called “technocratic committee” to enter Gaza via Rafah in the coming days, describing the move as a “gesture of goodwill” toward the US administration — a framing that ignores the fact that Gaza’s people remain besieged, starved, and denied basic freedom of movement.
The crossing was opened for the first time since the war under restricted and symbolic operation, with Egyptian authorities submitting lists of the first travellers to Israel for security vetting — a reminder that even Gaza’s only gateway to the world remains under occupation control.
Sources said Sunday was dedicated largely to technical and logistical preparations, including the arrival of a delegation from the Palestinian Authority and the limited, experimental transfer of wounded Palestinians, many of whom have waited months for life-saving treatment while borders remained sealed.
No clear figures have been announced regarding how many Palestinians will be permitted to leave or return. Egyptian officials indicated that passage will be granted only to those approved by Israeli authorities, underscoring the continued stranglehold imposed on Gaza despite talk of ceasefires and “humanitarian gestures.”
For the first time since the war began, Gaza residents may technically be allowed to travel through Rafah — but only Gaza residents, and only under severe restrictions. Foreign journalists remain barred, keeping Gaza’s suffering deliberately hidden from the world.
Actual travel is expected to begin on Monday, with an estimated 150 people allowed to leave daily, while only around 50 will be permitted to return, reinforcing fears of forced demographic emptying under the cover of administrative arrangements. The crossing’s initial capacity is estimated at 200 passengers per day, with expectations that departures will significantly exceed returns.
In the coming days, the technocratic committee is also expected to enter Gaza through Rafah — a move widely seen as the formal launch of the second phase of the US plan, one negotiated over Palestinians rather than with them.
Under the arrangement, Israel retains full authority to approve or reject travellers’ names, while Palestinian staff manage the crossing on the ground under European supervision. At the exit point, an Israeli-controlled remote-operated electronic turnstile allows Israeli security agencies to block any individual without prior approval, without even being physically present.
Those permitted to enter Gaza are transported by bus to an Israeli checkpoint, where they are subjected to identity checks and physical searches, further entrenching the occupation’s control over Palestinian movement.
Israeli media openly state that these measures are designed to ensure only “approved individuals” pass through, under the pretext of preventing the entry of weapons or equipment — a narrative Palestinians know well, one that has long been used to justify collective punishment.
Rafah Crossing remains Gaza’s only land outlet to the outside world that does not pass directly through Israel, yet it has been under effective Israeli control since May 2024. It was briefly reopened in early 2025, only to be shut down again — another chapter in the ongoing siege.
For Gaza’s people, this reopening does not signal freedom or relief. It is a reminder that even the most basic right — to leave, to return, to seek treatment, to reunite with family — is still hostage to occupation approval, foreign supervision, and political deals struck far from the ruins of Gaza.
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