As ceasefire progresses, Rafah border crossing in Gaza reopens for first time since May

Egypt’s Al-Qahera tv broadcast footage of astatine slightest 2 Palestinian Red Cross ambulances arriving astatine the crossing gate. Several children were transferred to Egyptian ambulances and taken to hospitals successful the adjacent metropolis of el-Arish and different locations. Among them, a young miss who had undergone a ft amputation was seen being loaded into an Egyptian ambulance, a study by Associated Press stated.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, astir 60 household members accompanied the children. This marks the commencement of what is intended to beryllium regular aesculapian evacuations from Gaza for attraction abroad.

Palestinians wounded successful the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip hold earlier crossing the Rafah borderline into Egypt, arsenic wounded and sick Palestinians are allowed to permission the Gaza Strip for aesculapian treatment, successful Khan Younis, Saturday Feb. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Israel’s subject run against Hamas, launched successful effect to the October 7, 2023, onslaught connected confederate Israel, has severely damaged Gaza’s healthcare system. More than 110,000 Palestinians person been wounded, and astir hospitals are retired of operation, the Palestinian Health Ministry reports.

Why Rafah is Important?

Rafah is Gaza’s lone crossing that does not participate Israel. Israeli forces closed it successful aboriginal May aft seizing it during an violative connected the confederate city. Egypt subsequently unopen its broadside of the borderline successful protest.

Even earlier the existent war, Rafah served arsenic a captious transition for Palestinians seeking aesculapian attraction abroad, arsenic Gaza’s healthcare strategy was already nether strain owed to a 15-year Israeli-Egyptian blockade aimed astatine containing Hamas.

Reopening the crossing required analyzable negotiations betwixt Israeli, Egyptian, and Palestinian officials. Israeli troops stay stationed astatine the crossing and successful the Philadelphia Corridor, the portion of onshore on the border. Israel has refused to let Hamas to regain power of the crossing, accusing the radical of utilizing tunnels to smuggle weapons. Egypt has insisted that it destroyed the tunnels and halted smuggling years ago.

Hundreds of Egyptians stitchery successful beforehand of the Rafah borderline crossing betwixt Egypt and the Gaza Strip, to amusement solidarity with the Palestinians and to cull the projected displacement plans, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Mohammed Arafat)

Israel has besides rejected the imaginable of the Palestinian Authority (PA) officially moving the crossing. Instead, Palestinians who antecedently served arsenic PA borderline officers volition unit the crossing but volition not beryllium allowed to deterioration PA insignia. Israel has screened them to guarantee they person nary ties to Hamas, according to a European diplomat.

European Union monitors volition besides beryllium present, arsenic they were earlier 2007. Meanwhile, negotiations for the second signifier of the ceasefire deal—focused connected a imperishable ceasefire, Israel’s afloat withdrawal from Gaza, and the merchandise of remaining hostages—are acceptable to statesman connected Monday. However, Israel remains opposed to the PA taking power of postwar Gaza.