Israel has announced a limited reopening of its control over the Rafah border crossing in Gaza, a move that could ease access to medical care, travel abroad, and reunite families torn apart by years of conflict.
The decision comes after Israeli forces took control of the crossing in May 2024, citing concerns about weapons smuggling by Hamas. The move has had devastating consequences for Palestinians, who have been denied critical lifelines for medical care, travel, and trade. Despite this, thousands of civilians have registered with the World Health Organization to be evacuated from Gaza, where the healthcare system is severely damaged.
According to reports, only 50 Palestinians will be allowed to cross in each direction on the first day of operations, a starkly limited number considering the desperate need for medical evacuation and reunification. Many more Palestinians are waiting to leave, with Médecins Sans Frontières estimating that over one in five of those registered are children.
The reopening of Rafah is seen as a key step towards a US-brokered ceasefire agreement, which has been in its second phase since March 2025. The deal calls for the installation of a new Palestinian committee to govern Gaza, deployment of an international security force, disarmament of Hamas, and steps towards rebuilding.
The EU's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, welcomed the move as "a concrete and positive step" towards peace in Gaza. However, many are skeptical about the limited nature of the reopening and whether it will be enough to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
For some families, the reopening came too late. Dalia Abu Kashef, 28, died last week while waiting for permission to cross for a liver transplant. Her husband reported that they had been waiting for weeks, hoping to travel and undergo surgery, but ultimately lost her due to delays.
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with widespread destruction of hospitals and medical facilities. The World Health Organization reports that 900 people have already died while awaiting evacuation, highlighting the urgent need for improved access to medical care.
As the second phase of the ceasefire agreement unfolds, many are watching anxiously to see whether it will bring about meaningful change in Gaza.
The decision comes after Israeli forces took control of the crossing in May 2024, citing concerns about weapons smuggling by Hamas. The move has had devastating consequences for Palestinians, who have been denied critical lifelines for medical care, travel, and trade. Despite this, thousands of civilians have registered with the World Health Organization to be evacuated from Gaza, where the healthcare system is severely damaged.
According to reports, only 50 Palestinians will be allowed to cross in each direction on the first day of operations, a starkly limited number considering the desperate need for medical evacuation and reunification. Many more Palestinians are waiting to leave, with Médecins Sans Frontières estimating that over one in five of those registered are children.
The reopening of Rafah is seen as a key step towards a US-brokered ceasefire agreement, which has been in its second phase since March 2025. The deal calls for the installation of a new Palestinian committee to govern Gaza, deployment of an international security force, disarmament of Hamas, and steps towards rebuilding.
The EU's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, welcomed the move as "a concrete and positive step" towards peace in Gaza. However, many are skeptical about the limited nature of the reopening and whether it will be enough to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
For some families, the reopening came too late. Dalia Abu Kashef, 28, died last week while waiting for permission to cross for a liver transplant. Her husband reported that they had been waiting for weeks, hoping to travel and undergo surgery, but ultimately lost her due to delays.
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with widespread destruction of hospitals and medical facilities. The World Health Organization reports that 900 people have already died while awaiting evacuation, highlighting the urgent need for improved access to medical care.
As the second phase of the ceasefire agreement unfolds, many are watching anxiously to see whether it will bring about meaningful change in Gaza.
this is gonna be a long road back to normalcy for gaza 
i mean, 50 ppl on day one? that's just not enough considering the number of people who've been dying due to delayed medical care 
what about all those kids registered with meds sans frontières who still can't get out? 
it's like they're just gonna let these ppl suffer some more... or is this some kind of test run for the ceasefire agreement? 
we'll have to wait and see if this limited reopening is actually a step towards change, or just a Band-Aid on a much deeper wound 
u think 50 ppl r gonna make a difference considering all the devastation & death already happened? i feel so bad for the fam of dalia abu kashef she was only 28 and her life was literally cut short cuz of delay... its gotta be more than just reopening the crossing, theres a whole system that needs to change 
& thousands more r stuck cuz of dis limited reopening of Rafah border crossing 
did u know that 1 in 5 registered evacuees r CHILDS?! 
like what kinda peace can u even call dat when there r still so many ppl suffering? 
. Like, who thought 50 people was a good number for the first day? It's not exactly a floodgate opening, you know? And what's with all these caveats and conditions? "A concrete and positive step towards peace"... sure, but at what cost? 900 people already dead waiting to leave... that's just heartbreaking 
. Can't we just have some straight talk for once?
. thousands of ppl r waiting 2 cross but only 50? thats just not enough! 
the EU diplomat might think its a positive step but what about the people who have already died? 
. i think theres still a long way 2 go before things get better in gaza 
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The fact that someone actually died while waiting for permission to cross is just heartbreaking 
I don't get why they're being so picky with who gets to leave first! 50 people? That's not enough considering all those kids and families waiting to go abroad or get medical care. It feels like they're just trying to placate everyone, but really it's just going through the motions. We need to see some real action here, not just a bunch of empty promises.
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. It's like they're stuck in limbo, with no end in sight to their suffering. We need more transparency on when and how this limited reopening will happen, and what kind of support the Palestinian committee will actually get from the international community 
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. But hey, I guess we'll have to wait and see how it all unfolds 
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. Is it just a PR stunt to boost morale before the ceasefire agreement is finalized? Or is it a genuine attempt to address the dire situation in Gaza?
. Will this move bring about meaningful change in Gaza? Only time will tell, but we'll be watching closely 
. This limited reopening might be a step in the right direction, but it feels like we're just patching up wounds instead of fixing the problem