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The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt resumed limited operations on Monday, marking a significant development under the Israeli-Hamas ceasefire agreement. This pivotal crossing, which had been mostly closed for nearly two years, is now partially open.
However, the reopening comes with stringent conditions. Only a limited number of individuals will be allowed to traverse the border in either direction, and the transport of commercial goods remains prohibited, according to officials.
On its first day of operation, Egyptian authorities have stated that up to 50 Palestinians will be permitted to cross each way. This restricted number highlights the cautious approach to reopening, falling short of reinstating the pre-conflict levels of travel.
Health officials in Gaza report that tens of thousands of residents with urgent medical needs are desperate to leave via Rafah, emphasizing the high demand for access even as the crossing remains heavily regulated. Additionally, many Palestinians currently outside Gaza are eager to return home.
Ambulances were seen queuing to enter the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing, heading towards the Gaza Strip, a scene captured on Sunday, February 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohamed Arafat)
Before the war, Rafah served as Gaza’s primary passage to the outside world. All other crossings into the territory are shared with Israel. Under the ceasefire framework that took effect in October, Israeli forces continue to control the corridor between the crossing and the areas where most Palestinians live.
Israel and Egypt are vetting travelers, and the crossing is being overseen with international involvement, officials said, as part of efforts to prevent weapons smuggling while allowing limited humanitarian movement.
A crane enters the Egyptian gate of the Rafah crossing to the Gaza Strip, in Rafah, Egypt, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohamed Arafat)
Egypt has said the crossing must function in both directions and has pushed back against any use of Rafah as a mechanism to permanently displace Palestinians from Gaza.
Elsewhere in the territory, fighting-related incidents continued despite the ceasefire. Gaza hospital officials accused an Israeli navy vessel of firing on a tent camp near the southern city of Khan Younis, killing a 3-year-old Palestinian boy. Israel’s military said it was reviewing the report.
Egyptian authorities said roughly 150 hospitals across the country are prepared to receive patients evacuated from Gaza, while the Egyptian Red Crescent has set up support areas on the Egyptian side of the crossing.
A truck carrying humanitarian aid at the Rafah border on the Egyptian side, in Rafah, Egypt, on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (Reuters)
Israel seized control of the Rafah crossing in May 2024, describing the move as part of its campaign against Hamas smuggling routes. The crossing was briefly opened for medical evacuations during a short-lived ceasefire in early 2025.
The U.S.-brokered ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10 halted more than two years of fighting that began with the Hamas-led terror attacks on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The ceasefire’s initial phase focused on hostage exchanges, increased humanitarian aid and a limited Israeli pullback.
A second phase envisions a new Palestinian governing arrangement for Gaza, the deployment of an international security force, the disarmament of Hamas and steps toward reconstruction — goals that remain unresolved.