Israel has reopened its key border crossing with Egypt, Rafah, after a five-month closure, allowing only sick and wounded Palestinians to enter Egypt. The move was seen as a welcome relief for many Palestinians who rely on the crossing as their main lifeline to the outside world.
Only 50 patients were allowed to exit Gaza for treatment in Egypt on Monday, accompanied by one or two relatives, while around 30 people who had left Gaza during the war were also allowed to return. However, Palestinian officials blamed the delays on Israeli security checks, citing issues with their documentation and other bureaucratic hurdles.
The crossing was initially opened during the first phase of US President Donald Trump's ceasefire plan between Israel and Hamas, but it was closed again after Israel blocked its reopening due to concerns about Hamas' handling of the last dead Israeli hostage. The body was returned to Israel last week, ending the condition for the crossing's opening.
The World Health Organization (WHO) will oversee the transfer of patients from territory under Hamas control, transporting them by bus to the crossing over the "Yellow Line" and into territory controlled by the Israeli military. Around 150 hospitals and 300 ambulances in Egypt are ready to receive the evacuated patients.
Critics argue that aid must flow into Gaza more freely, and restrictions on essential supplies should be eased. The EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the opening of the Rafah crossing a "concrete and positive step in the peace plan", while UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper noted that much more still needs to be done to ease the humanitarian crisis.
The Israeli military campaign in Gaza, launched in response to an attack on Israel in October 2023, has killed over 71,800 Palestinians, according to Hamas' health ministry. Both sides have accused each other of repeated violations since the ceasefire began 16 weeks ago.
Israel's decision to reopen the Rafah crossing is seen as a significant step towards easing tensions and improving relations between Israel and the Palestinian territories.
Only 50 patients were allowed to exit Gaza for treatment in Egypt on Monday, accompanied by one or two relatives, while around 30 people who had left Gaza during the war were also allowed to return. However, Palestinian officials blamed the delays on Israeli security checks, citing issues with their documentation and other bureaucratic hurdles.
The crossing was initially opened during the first phase of US President Donald Trump's ceasefire plan between Israel and Hamas, but it was closed again after Israel blocked its reopening due to concerns about Hamas' handling of the last dead Israeli hostage. The body was returned to Israel last week, ending the condition for the crossing's opening.
The World Health Organization (WHO) will oversee the transfer of patients from territory under Hamas control, transporting them by bus to the crossing over the "Yellow Line" and into territory controlled by the Israeli military. Around 150 hospitals and 300 ambulances in Egypt are ready to receive the evacuated patients.
Critics argue that aid must flow into Gaza more freely, and restrictions on essential supplies should be eased. The EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the opening of the Rafah crossing a "concrete and positive step in the peace plan", while UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper noted that much more still needs to be done to ease the humanitarian crisis.
The Israeli military campaign in Gaza, launched in response to an attack on Israel in October 2023, has killed over 71,800 Palestinians, according to Hamas' health ministry. Both sides have accused each other of repeated violations since the ceasefire began 16 weeks ago.
Israel's decision to reopen the Rafah crossing is seen as a significant step towards easing tensions and improving relations between Israel and the Palestinian territories.
... i mean, it's about time they reopened that border crossing, right? like, five months is a looong time to be stuck in one place. but, of course, there are delays and bureaucratic hurdles because, well, politics 
. i'm all for helping those patients get the medical attention they need, but can't we just make it easier for people to live their lives without all the drama? like, 50 patients a week is not exactly a floodgate opening here 
. and what's with the EU and UK saying more needs to be done? didn't they know this was coming? 
anyway, i guess it's a good start... fingers crossed it doesn't just get closed again 
so they only let 50 patients through? that's like, super generous right? or is it just another way to say "we're not really trying to help" 
and btw 71k+ palestinian deaths? that's just heartbreaking 
I think its about time for the world to see how dire the situation in Gaza really is 
. The number of people killed since that October attack is just heartbreaking 
I also feel bad for those Palestinians who lost loved ones during the violence... their families must be going through such an awful time 
.
I'm not sure about this new development, feels like they're just patching up things without getting to the root of the issue 
. Allowing only sick and wounded Palestinians to enter Egypt is a good start, but what about the rest? It's still super restrictive and seems like Israel's playing with fire by reopening the crossing after that hostage thing happened 
. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad people can finally get some medical help, but we need more than just this Band-Aid solution 
. The EU and UK are right that there's still so much work to be done to ease the humanitarian crisis 
.
those ambulances are gonna be super busy but still only 50 patients allowed out, what's the hurry? 
EU says it's a concrete step towards peace, yeah right... how many more innocent lives gotta be lost before we talk about easing restrictions on supplies? 
the longer this conflict drags on, the more my anxiety level goes up, not sure when it'll end... 
. like, whats the point of letting sick ppl pass through if other stuff gets blocked too? 
. EU and UK are all good about recognizing its a step forward 
, but lets not forget theres still so much work to be done 
.
. Israel's still not doing enough to address the human rights situation in Gaza 
. It takes a village (or in this case, an ambulance) to care for over 71,000 wounded Palestinians 
. Until Israel opens up more and allows for unimpeded humanitarian aid, we'll keep calling out this half-hearted attempt to ease tensions 
- I mean, it's not like they're being forced to take anything less than a luxury vacation... the WHO's got this under control 
.
. And the security checks are such a hassle, can't they just sort out the paperwork faster?