After almost a year of closure, the Rafah crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt has partially resumed operations. Israeli officials report that the crossing is now open for Palestinian pedestrians, but it remains closed for aid shipments. The exact number of Palestinians who have crossed so far is unclear, though early figures are expected to stay modest. Anyone wishing to enter or exit Gaza must obtain an Egyptian permit, which is forwarded to the Israeli internal security agency Shin Bet for review. Israel monitors departures to Egypt remotely.
On the exit side, entry into Gaza from Egypt still involves an Israeli security check. After crossing Rafah, Palestinians must pass through an IDF checkpoint before they are allowed to continue into Hamas‑controlled areas of the Gaza Strip. Unsupervised entry into Gaza remains prohibited for foreign journalists.
