• Israel has partially reopened the Rafah crossing for limited movement of people, marking a significant humanitarian development.
• The reopening is a pilot phase following a ceasefire that has seen ongoing violence in the region.
• Only a limited number of individuals, including patients needing medical care, will be allowed to cross.
• The crossing had been largely closed since May 2024 due to the ongoing conflict.
• European monitors will oversee the operations at the crossing to ensure security protocols are followed.

The Rafah crossing, which connects Gaza to Egypt, has been partially reopened by Israel, allowing limited movement of residents. This reopening comes after intense appeals from humanitarian organizations and amid ongoing violence in the region, where Israeli strikes have reportedly killed dozens recently. The Israeli military indicated that this limited reopening, which began on Monday, would focus primarily on individuals needing to exit Gaza for medical care or to return home after fleeing the conflict, according to Channel News Asia and Los Angeles Times.

Israeli officials stated that the crossing would be open under strict security measures, with an initial cap on the number of travelers allowed daily. According to sources, around 50 patients and their companions are expected to be permitted to leave each day, while some Palestinians wishing to return from abroad are also being considered for entry, based on prior clearances by Israel and Egypt, as mentioned by Reuters and Al Jazeera.

The Rafah crossing, having remained mostly closed since Israel's forces took control in May 2024, is regarded as a critical passage for humanitarian aid and for individuals needing medical evacuation. Palestinians have expressed great hope for the crossing's reopening. An official at Gaza's health ministry has stated that there are about 20,000 individuals, many children, waiting for the opportunity to leave for medical care. However, the current limited capacity creates significant challenges for those in urgent need, according to Los Angeles Times and Reuters.

The recent reopening was made possible amid a broader effort to negotiate terms of a ceasefire and to allow humanitarian operations to resume, with international monitoring set to be implemented to oversee the crossing's reactivation. The situation remains precarious, with ongoing Israeli air strikes reported in the region, highlighting the fragile nature of the ceasefire and the dire humanitarian context in which these movements are taking place, as noted by Al Jazeera.