Partial Reopening Of Rafah Crossing Allows 150 Palestinians To Exit, 50 To Enter Egypt

Last Updated:February 02, 2026, 18:39 IST

Rafah, Gaza’s only gateway to the outside world, is a key entry point for both people and goods.

Young Palestinian patients sitting in wheelchairs wait in the grounds of the Red Crescent Hospital to be evacuated from the Gaza Strip via the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. (AFP photo)

At least 150 Palestinians are allowed to exit Gaza through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt on Monday. The group includes 50 patients, each accompanied by two companions. Another 50 Palestinians will be permitted to enter Gaza from Egypt, Egyptian border officials told AFP.

Earlier reports from Egyptian state-linked media had said 50 people would pass through the crossing in each direction, with operations scheduled to close by 1300 GMT (3:00 pm local time).

The crossing reopened in a limited capacity, marking a partial resumption of operations following months of appeals from aid groups. Rafah, Gaza’s only gateway to the outside world, is a key entry point for both people and goods.

Ali Shaath, head of a Palestinian technocratic committee overseeing Gaza’s day-to-day governance, called the reopening as a “window of hope" for the people of Gaza.

“This step is not merely an administrative measure; rather, it marks the beginning of a long process to reconnect what was severed and to open a genuine window of hope for our people in the Gaza Strip," he said.

Israeli forces seized control of the crossing in May 2024 during the war with Hamas, keeping it largely closed since then. A brief opening had occurred in early 2025, but humanitarian access has remained tightly restricted. The limited reopening on Sunday had involved no travel of people, as part of a pilot phase.

The Gaza war, which began after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, has left humanitarian conditions in Gaza dire. According to official figures, 1,221 people were killed in Israel, while at least 71,795 have died in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Rafah lies in an area still under Israeli control along the ceasefire’s ‘Yellow Line,’ as per the US-brokered agreement. Israeli troops still control more than half of Gaza, while the remainder is governed by Hamas

(With inputs from AFP)

News world Partial Reopening Of Rafah Crossing Allows 150 Palestinians To Exit, 50 To Enter Egypt

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