The Rafah crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt has partially resumed operations after nearly a year of closure. According to Israeli officials, the crossing is now open for Palestinian pedestrians leaving Gaza, but it remains closed for humanitarian aid shipments.
It is unclear how many Palestinians have passed through the crossing so far, though the numbers are expected to stay low during the first days of reopening. Every Palestinian who wishes to enter or leave Gaza must obtain an Egyptian permit, which is then transmitted to Israel’s domestic intelligence agency, Shin Bet, for review. Israel monitors the flow of Palestinians toward Egypt from a distance.
Traveling into Gaza from Egypt involves an Israeli security checkpoint. After passing through the Rafah crossing, Palestinians must go through an additional check by Israeli forces before they are allowed to proceed into the Hamas‑controlled areas of the Strip. Foreign journalists are still not permitted to enter Gaza without supervision.