Overview
- COGAT said Rafah will open in both directions on Sunday for people only, with no commercial goods permitted initially.
- Entry and exit will require prior Israeli security clearance, coordination with Egypt, EU supervision at the crossing, and additional screening in an Israeli-controlled corridor.
- Initial departures are expected to prioritize medical evacuations, while reported daily quotas conflict across sources from roughly 50 each way to 150–200 crossings per day.
- The reopening follows recovery of the last hostage’s remains and aligns with the ceasefire’s second phase, which also envisions Hamas disarmament and steps toward new governance.
- Despite the truce, Israel’s military reported overnight strikes in Rafah that it said killed three militants, reinforcing concerns that limited openings will not ease the wider humanitarian crisis.