Rafah crossing reopens for the first time since the Iran war

The Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt was reopened on Thursday for the first time since it had been closed by Israel on February 28, at the onset of its joint offensive with the United States against Iran.

According to Al-Qahera News, the crossing has been reopened “in both directions.” Footage aired by the channel showed a number of Palestinians preparing to cross from the Egyptian side into Gaza, including individuals who had been receiving medical treatment in Egypt.

Additional footage showed ambulances waiting to receive Palestinian patients arriving from the Gaza Strip.

This anticipated reopening comes amid ongoing violations of the ceasefire that has been in effect in the territory since October 10.

The crossing is located on Gaza’s southern border with Egypt, within areas from which Israel has not yet withdrawn following the ceasefire, accounting for more than half of the territory.

The second phase of the agreement stipulates the reopening of the crossing, a step demanded by the United Nations and humanitarian organizations to ensure the unhindered entry of aid, as more than two million people in Gaza face a worsening humanitarian crisis.

At the outset of the Iran war, Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities stated that crossings with the Gaza Strip would remain closed during the joint Israeli-American operation against Iran.

He added in a statement: “Numerous necessary security adjustments have been implemented, including the closure of crossings into the Gaza Strip, among them the Rafah crossing, until further notice.”

He further clarified that the closure of the crossings “would have no impact on the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.”