Cairo/Rafah: The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt is set to reopen on Monday after over 18 months of closure, officials announced Sunday, offering a glimmer of hope amid fragile ceasefire efforts. Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) confirmed a “pilot phase” began Sunday with limited pedestrian passage, coordinated with Egypt and the EU Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM), following the recovery of the last Israeli hostage’s remains last week.
Palestinian technocratic committee head Ali Shaath stated the crossing would operate starting Monday, enabling up to 150 Gazans daily to exit and 50 to enter under strict security protocols — no aid or goods initially. Seized by Israel in May 2024 over alleged Hamas smuggling, Rafah’s revival fulfills a key Phase 1 commitment of the US-brokered October 2025 ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, after Phase 2 delays tied to hostage returns like Ran Gvili’s.
The move comes as Gaza reels from ongoing violence: over 500 Palestinian deaths from Israeli strikes since the truce, per local health officials, with Israel reporting four soldiers killed by militants. Hospitals in Egypt prepared ambulances for wounded evacuations, while 80,000 Palestinians await exit approvals amid acute humanitarian needs after two years of war.
Egyptian sources verified lists of approved Gazans submitted to Israel, emphasizing rigorous checks to prevent misuse. EU officials hailed the trial as progress toward full operations, potentially scaling traffic if successful. Yet, fragility persists: Rafah was briefly reopened in early 2025 before shutting again amid truce violations.
Hamas welcomed the step but demanded unrestricted aid flows and full Phase 2 implementation, including troop withdrawals. Israel stressed security primacy, linking expansions to compliance. As ambulances lined up and families gathered, Rafah—Gaza’s sole non-Israeli outlet since 2007—signals tentative de-escalation in a conflict displacing millions.
