Israel on Sunday announced that it has partially reopened the Rafah border crossing connecting Gaza and Egypt in a limited pilot capacity. This marks the first such move since Israeli forces took control of the crossing in May last year. Israeli authorities confirmed that the crossing is now open on a trial basis, allowing only restricted movement for Gaza residents, Al Jazeera reported.
The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Israeli military agency managing aid operations in Gaza, said preparations are ongoing for broader access. Officials noted that residents may begin passing through the crossing from Monday. "In accordance with the ceasefire agreement and a directive of the political echelon, the Rafah Crossing was opened today for the limited passage of residents only," COGAT added.
Screening facility ready for Palestinian transit
Israeli authorities also revealed that a dedicated screening facility has been constructed to process Palestinians entering or exiting Gaza via Rafah. The crossing has mostly remained shut for months due to Israel's prolonged military campaign in the region, leaving thousands of displaced Palestinians waiting to return home.
Tens of thousands await return to Gaza
According to Gaza's Government Media Office, nearly 80,000 Palestinians who fled the territory during the war are hoping to re-enter. The office's director, Ismail al Thawabta, told Al Jazeera that a large number of displaced residents are stranded outside Gaza and waiting for an opportunity to return.
Israel ends operations of doctors without borders in Gaza
In a separate development, Israel announced the termination of operations by Doctors Without Borders in Gaza. The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism said the organisation had failed to provide required details of its Palestinian staff, a rule applied to all humanitarian agencies working in the area. Israeli authorities had earlier stated that 37 aid groups, including MSF, would be barred from operating in Gaza from March 1 for failing to submit staff information, a move criticised by the United Nations and several humanitarian platforms.
Fresh drone strikes add to rising casualties
Despite the trial reopening, Israeli military action continued across Gaza. A drone strike on Sunday killed one person in northwest Rafah, with medical teams at Nasser Medical Complex identifying the victim as 63-year-old Khaled Hammad Ahmed Dahleez. Another drone attack in Wadi Gaza claimed one more Palestinian life. These strikes followed a series of air raids on Saturday that reportedly killed at least 31 people across northern and southern Gaza.
Rising toll since ceasefire began
According to media reports, at least 511 Palestinians have been killed and more than 1,400 injured since the United States-backed ceasefire came into effect on October 10. The rising toll highlights the continuing volatility in the region even as limited humanitarian and civilian movements resume.
