February 9 — Rafah: A fifth group of Palestinians returned to the Gaza Strip on Sunday through the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing, according to officials at the crossing, after Egyptian authorities completed the necessary procedures for their transit.
The movement comes amid a partial reopening of the crossing on the Palestinian side, following the implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire and diplomatic efforts by Egypt and the United States. Israel had previously closed the crossing in May 2024.
Upon arrival in Egypt, teams from the Egyptian Red Crescent received the returning Palestinians, providing coordination assistance as well as essential supplies such as food, water, and humanitarian support.
Egyptian authorities are also preparing to admit another group of wounded and ill Palestinians from Gaza to receive medical care in Egyptian hospitals. The Ministry of Health has set up a medical facility at Rafah to examine incoming patients, assess their conditions, and transport them by ambulance to hospitals for treatment.
The Rafah crossing, which connects Egypt and the Gaza Strip, was reopened on the Palestinian side last Monday, allowing limited movement of people between the two territories. However, Israel closed the Palestinian side of the crossing again on Friday and Saturday, citing the weekend holiday.
During the previous week, four groups of Palestinians successfully returned to Gaza through the crossing, while Egypt also received injured individuals from Gaza to provide medical treatment.
Under the current operational framework, Palestinian authorities manage the crossing with supervision from the European Union, while Israel reviews passenger lists in advance and conducts security checks at a separate location outside the crossing area.
Some Palestinians who returned to Gaza reported experiencing degrading treatment during Israeli security screening procedures. According to the Associated Press, three women among a group of 12 returnees—most of whom were women, children, and elderly individuals—said they were blindfolded, handcuffed, interrogated for several hours, and threatened before being permitted to continue.
The women stated they were questioned about Hamas and pressured to cooperate with Israeli authorities. They reported psychological pressure and verbal abuse but said they were not physically assaulted. The Israeli military denied the allegations, stating it was unaware of any such misconduct.
Other returnees described strict restrictions on personal belongings, extended waiting times, and confusion regarding procedures. They also noted that fewer people were allowed to cross than initially anticipated.
Palestinian groups and human rights organizations said these accounts reflect longstanding claims of mistreatment at Israeli-controlled screening points. Hamas has called on mediators to ensure the safety and dignity of Palestinians using the Rafah crossing.
Meanwhile, Egypt has increased its medical assistance for Palestinians arriving from Gaza. On Thursday, Health Minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar visited Rafah and received a group of injured Palestinians during an inspection tour.
During the visit, the minister told Al-Qahera News that Egypt has administered approximately 18,000 vaccine doses to around 13,500 children since November 2023. These vaccinations were provided to injured children and those accompanying their families, following arrangements allowing Egypt to treat wounded Palestinians amid disruptions to Gaza’s healthcare system caused by the conflict.
He added that Egypt has also supplied hygiene kits and essential medical care to children and their families entering through the crossing.
