Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt reopened on Sunday for the first time since the IDF captured it in May 2024, with a limited pedestrian pilot program. “The Rafah crossing has reopened for movement of people only,” the Defence Ministry’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) unit said. Advertisement AdvertisementAdvertisement AdvertisementThe Israeli Defence Ministry unit said the return of Gaza residents from Egypt will be permitted only for those who left the enclave during the war and after Israeli security approval. According to COGAT data, about 42,000 Gaza residents left the territory during the war, most of them medical patients seeking treatment abroad or dual nationals. The Israeli decision to reopen the Rafah Crossing was announced despite an upsurge in violence in the area.

Source: National Post February 01, 2026 22:23 UTC