Israel has agreed to open the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, allowing Palestinians to cross on foot under the terms of U.S. President Donald Trump's ceasefire agreement. However, the ban on foreign journalists entering the area remains in place amid ongoing tensions following violations of the ceasefire that led to airstrikes last weekend.
On 2 Feb 2025 GMT+7, Israel reopened the Rafah border crossing, a key link between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, permitting Palestinians to enter and exit the area on foot. The crossing had been seized and closed by Israel since May 2024.
This reopening is a crucial requirement of the first phase of the peace plan promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump to end the war between Israel and Hamas. Israeli security officials reported that a European observer team has arrived to help oversee the situation.
Despite the reopening, strict conditions remain in place. Israel stated that all travelers must undergo thorough security checks, and daily crossing numbers will be limited in coordination with Egyptian authorities.
Previously, the closure of the Rafah crossing and the Philadelphi Corridor severely impacted Palestinian patients and the injured who could not seek treatment outside Gaza. United Nations data indicates that about 100,000 Palestinians have fled Gaza since the war began, with some paying high bribes to cross the border.
Although the border has reopened for civilian movement, Israel continues to refuse entry to foreign journalists citing security concerns for both soldiers and reporters. The Foreign Press Association (FPA) has filed a petition with Israel's Supreme Court opposing this ban, calling it a blockage to the public’s access to independent information.
Under the second phase of Trump's plan, administrative control of Gaza is to be handed over to a Palestinian technocratic group, conditioned on Hamas disarming and Israeli troops withdrawing to begin city reconstruction.
However, the situation remains fragile as clashes continue intermittently. Since the ceasefire agreement in October, over 500 Palestinians have been killed, along with four Israeli soldiers. Most recently, on Saturday, 31 Jan 2025 GMT+7, Israel launched its largest airstrike since the ceasefire, killing at least 30 civilians, claiming it was in response to Hamas violating the agreement on Friday.