Jerusalem
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Israel authorized the partial reopening of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt on Monday morning after nearly two years of closure, according to an Israeli security official, allowing a small number of Palestinians to leave the war-torn enclave and even fewer to return.
The European Union is operating the crossing as the final step of the first phase of the US-brokered ceasefire agreement in the enclave that went into effect in mid-October.
The crucial crossing, which has been largely closed since Israel seized it in May 2024, underwent a series of preparations on Sunday from the European Union, Egypt and other parties that will be involved in running the border crossing.
During the first few days of operation, only 50 people per day will be allowed to cross both ways, Egypt’s state-affiliates AlQahera News reported on Monday, citing an unidentified source.
CNN previously reported that a total of 150 Palestinians would be allowed to leave Gaza through the crossing each day, but only 50 would be allowed to enter.
The steep price of passing through the crossing coupled with lengthy bureaucratic and security processes mean few Palestinians can realistically expect to leave. Some Palestinians have reported paying thousands of dollars when it was open, which few can afford.
This is a developing story and will be updated.