GAZA CITY, Palestine

Israel reopened the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt on Thursday for limited Palestinian movement under strict restrictions after a 20-day closure.

In a statement, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said its teams transported 25 patients along with their companions from a hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza to the crossing in preparation for their departure for medical treatment abroad.

It said the move is part of efforts to facilitate access of injured and sick Palestinians to medical treatment, amid severe pressure on healthcare facilities inside Gaza.

Israel has closed Gaza’s crossings, including the Rafah terminal, following the outbreak of war with Iran on Feb. 28.

Israeli government agency COGAT said Sunday the terminal would reopen for limited movement in both directions under the same mechanism that existed before its closure and subject to the relevant security directives.

On Feb. 2, Israel partially reopened the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, which it has occupied since May 2024, but under very limited conditions and strict restrictions.

Palestinian estimates in Gaza indicate that around 22,000 wounded people and patients need to leave the enclave for treatment abroad amid the collapse of the territory’s healthcare system following a two-year Israeli war.

Before the war, hundreds of Palestinians used the Rafah crossing daily to travel to Egypt, while hundreds returned to the enclave in regular movement.

At the time, the crossing was operated by Gaza’s Interior Ministry in coordination with Egypt, without Israeli involvement.

A ceasefire agreement entered into force in Gaza on Oct. 10, 2025, following the Israeli war that left more than 72,000 Palestinians dead and over 172,000 injured while destroying about 90% of the enclave’s civilian infrastructure, with reconstruction costs estimated by the UN at around $70 billion.