Israel to reopen Rafah Crossing for limited Gaza travel
The key gateway between Gaza and Egypt will allow restricted movement of people under Israeli security oversight and EU monitoring after weeks of closure.
Israel said on Sunday it will partially reopen the Rafah Crossing, Gaza’s main gateway to Egypt, allowing limited movement of people beginning Wednesday after the crossing was shut during the recent war with Iran.
The Israeli defence ministry body COGAT said the crossing will reopen on March 18 for “limited movement of people only,” with travel permitted in both directions.
Movement through the crossing will take place in coordination with Egypt and will require prior Israeli security approval, the agency said.
Officials added that the process will be overseen by the European Union Border Assistance Mission Rafah (EUBAM), which returned to the crossing earlier this year.
Additional screening of those entering Gaza will take place inside the territory in an area occupied by Israeli forces, according to COGAT.
Gaza’s vital gateway
The Rafah crossing is the only route in and out of Gaza that does not pass directly through Israel, making it a critical lifeline for Palestinians in the coastal enclave.
It reopened briefly on February 2 for the movement of people after nearly two years of closure following Israeli aggression.
Israel later closed Rafah again when it launched joint strikes with the United States on Iran on February 28.
Another key crossing, Karem Abu Salem Crossing, reopened on March 3 to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza after also being shut during the escalation.
Pressure to reopen
Human rights groups, the United Nations, and Hamas have repeatedly called for Rafah to reopen, saying it is essential for humanitarian access to the devastated territory.
Often described as Gaza’s “lifeline,” the crossing now lies in an area controlled by Israeli forces following their withdrawal behind the so-called Yellow Line under a ceasefire mediated by the United States.
For years, Rafah served as the primary exit point for Palestinians allowed to leave Gaza, which has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007.
Israel seized control of the Palestinian side of the crossing on May 7, 2024, saying it had been used for militant activity.
The crossing briefly reopened for medical evacuations during a short ceasefire between Israel and Hamas earlier in the war.