Only 29 per cent compliance was recorded in the reopening of Rafah crossing since the start of the month due to strict Israeli restrictions, the Gaza government media office said on Monday.
In a statement, the office said that 811 people were able to travel in and out through the Rafah land crossing between 2 and 15 February, out of a total of 2,800 applicants, reflecting what it described as Israeli compliance of around 29 per cent.
Israel reopened the Palestinian side of the crossing on 2nd February on a very limited basis and under strict restrictions. The crossing has been under Israeli control since May 2024.
According to the statement, 455 travellers were allowed to leave Gaza, while 456 people were able to enter during the same period. A further 26 people were turned back.
READ: Money, threats, abuse: Israeli efforts to block return to Gaza via Rafah
Egyptian and Hebrew media had reported that 50 Palestinians, including patients and their companions, were expected to cross daily into Gaza, with a similar number travelling to Egypt. However, the Gaza office said Israel had not fully met this arrangement.
Estimates in Gaza indicate that around 22,000 wounded and sick people need to leave the territory to receive medical treatment, amid what officials describe as a catastrophic situation in the health sector following the impact of the Israeli war.
Official figures also show that around 80,000 residents have registered their names to return to Gaza, a move seen locally as a clear sign of Palestinians’ determination to reject displacement and to return despite the widespread destruction.
READ: Dozens of Palestinians cross Rafah back into Gaza, families reunited