Gaza [Palestine], February 3: Patients, wounded, and citizens begin crossing into Egypt, while stranded Palestinians return to Gaza Strip, amidst ongoing Israeli security controls.
The Rafah border crossing in southern Gaza reopened for two-way traffic on Monday, facilitating the movement of patients, the wounded, and other civilians for the first time in weeks, according to official Palestinian reports.
The Palestinian news agency WAFA stated that the crossing officially opened for citizens with humanitarian needs. Approximately 150 patients and their companions, prepared since early morning, were transported for treatment in hospitals outside the Gaza Strip. Simultaneously, a number of Palestinians stranded on the Egyptian side are expected to cross back into Gaza.
However, movement remains heavily scrutinised. Citizens expressed hope for a smooth process but cited potential obstacles imposed by Israeli occupation authorities, who maintain a military checkpoint and inspection point adjacent to the crossing to screen returning individuals and their belongings.
The situation regarding patient evacuations remains complex. A source within the Gaza-based Palestinian Ministry of Health said that as of Monday, there was "no new development" concerning patient travel via Rafah. The source clarified that a separate group of patients would instead leave the Strip through the Karm Abu Salem crossing, which is fully controlled and managed by Israeli occupation forces.
In parallel, a separate source confirmed that a number of Gaza residents had arrived on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing and were preparing to enter Gaza later in the day. The reopening marks a critical, albeit limited, step in alleviating the humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave.
Source: Times of Oman
