DaysofPal – A sharp decline in travel through the Rafah land crossing has been documented through field monitoring, reflecting ongoing Israeli violations and restrictive security measures that have drawn growing criticism from human rights groups.
Only 225 travelers crossed the border between Monday, February 2, 2026, and Monday, February 9, according to data made public by Gaza’s Government Media Office. The figure includes 172 arrivals and 26 individuals who were turned back, highlighting the fragility of movement through Gaza’s sole gateway to the outside world.
According to the same figures, total travel during this period reached just 397 travelers in both directions, out of approximately 1,600 people who were scheduled to cross.
This represents a compliance rate of no more than 25 percent. Rights advocates attribute the shortfall to repeated Israeli breaches and ongoing security interference that disrupt the regular operation of the crossing.
Human rights organizations accuse Israel of using border crossings as a tool of collective pressure by obstructing travel, enforcing arbitrary denials and forced returns, and creating uncertainty that undermines the right to freedom of movement guaranteed under international humanitarian law.
Field reports indicate that armed groups linked to the occupation have further deepened the crisis by threatening the safety of roads leading to the crossing, detaining travelers, and handing them over to Israeli forces. These practices have contributed to an unstable security environment that directly affects travelers, particularly patients, students, and holders of humanitarian residency permits.
Israel reopened the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing on February 2 after maintaining control over it since May 2024, though the reopening remains highly limited. This restriction has significantly reduced the number of Palestinians able to travel during recent days, according to field data.
Palestinian authorities estimate that around 22,000 wounded and ill individuals urgently need to leave Gaza for medical treatment, following the near-total collapse of the healthcare system caused by Israel’s war of genocide.
Approximately 80,000 Palestinians have registered to return to the Gaza Strip, according to semi-official figures. Observers view this as a reflection of Palestinians’ continued commitment to their right to return, despite the extensive destruction left by the war.
Returning Palestinians have shared accounts of harsh Israeli interrogations, reaffirming their determination to remain on their land and rejecting all attempts at forced displacement.
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