The Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt partially reopened Monday, a significant step in the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The limited reopening will allow some movement of people in and out of the Palestinian enclave, enabling small numbers in need of medical aid to leave Gaza and letting some others return to the territory.
A spokesperson for the Israeli military agency COGAT, Shimi Zuaretz, confirmed to NBC News that the crossing had reopened at 2 a.m. ET. He was unable to say how many people had crossed so far.
COGAT had said Sunday the crossing would reopen only for the movement of people. It earlier warned that the crossings at Rafah would be limited and would involve security clearance by Israel.
European Union border officers are expected to assist with operations at the crossing, consistent with past operations in Rafah. Shadi Othman, media officer at the European Union Office in Jerusalem, told NBC News on Monday the reopening would allow dozens of patients to leave Gaza, while dozens of people would enter from the Egyptian side.
“This is today’s plan,” Othman said. “We will wait until the end of the day to see what will happen and to know the final number of those who depart and those who enter.”
The crossing in Gaza’s southernmost city has been nearly completely closed since May 2024, amid Israel's massive military offensive launched in response to the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led terrorist attack. The conflict was brought to a halt in October by a ceasefire brokered in part by the United States.
The closure of the Rafah crossing, which has long been one of the only gateways to the rest of the world for Palestinians in Gaza, cut off an important route for the sick or injured to get medical care outside the war-ravaged enclave. Hospitals and other lifesaving infrastructure inside Gaza have been largely destroyed or badly damaged in the Israeli offensive.
The Egyptian Health Ministry said Monday that the level of preparedness at all health care facilities had been raised for the movement of patients and the wounded, and the return to Gaza of those who have recovered. Some 150 hospitals nationwide, nearly 12,000 doctors and between 250 and 300 fully equipped ambulances, were on standby for crisis management, it said.
Khaled Mujawir, the governor of Egypt’s North Sinai province, said Sunday that 150 wounded, injured and sick Palestinians from Gaza were expected to arrive in Egypt on Monday.
Among those hoping to get treatement in Egypt were Randa Ibrahim Salman Abou Mostafa, 44, and her 17-year-old son, Mohammed Abou Mostafa.
“We are now awaiting permission to travel outside the country so that my son may receive treatment to restore his eyesight,” she said in an interview Monday, adding that he had been injured for a year and a half. She said she was afraid she might not be allowed to return to Gaza, “because I have young children whom I left at home.”
The director of the Nasser Medical Complex in the city of Khan Younis said that Israel had approved travel for only five patients from a list of 27 the hospital had submitted for transfer. Delaying travel of those in medical need out of Gaza is "a real threat to their lives," Dr. Atef Al-Hout said.
The reopening the crossing in both directions is a key pillar of President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza and comes just days after the remains of the last hostage held in the enclave were returned to Israel.
The reopening could signal a long-awaited transition to the second phase of the plan, which also involves Hamas’ disarmament, the transfer of power to a new technocratic government and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces.
But many details remain uncertain, and the ceasefire remains shaky.
Israeli strikes on Gaza killed at least 30 Palestinians including several children Saturday, local officials said, a day after Israel accused Hamas of new truce violations. Israel's army said it was targeting Hamas militants and weapons sites across the Gaza Strip.
Israel has killed more than 500 people in Gaza since the ceasefire began, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in the enclave.
