Daijiworld Media Network - Gaza
Gaza, Feb 4: Palestinians gathered on both sides of Gaza’s border with Egypt on Tuesday, hoping to cross through the Rafah terminal, a day after its reopening was marked by long delays, interrogations and uncertainty over who would be allowed to travel.
On the Egyptian side, Palestinians who had earlier fled Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war waited to return after receiving medical treatment, Egyptian state media reported. On the Gaza side, patients seeking care unavailable in the strip assembled at hospitals before ambulances moved towards Rafah, awaiting clearance.
Officials in Egypt’s North Sinai confirmed that an unspecified number of patients and their companions crossed into Egypt from Gaza on Tuesday. Meanwhile, a bus carrying around 40 Palestinians that entered Gaza via Rafah reached Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis early Wednesday, where families welcomed them after waiting all day.
Though reopening Rafah was hailed as a positive step under the fragile ceasefire, only a small number of people were able to cross in either direction on the first day, far below the 50 expected each way. Three women who returned into Gaza said they were blindfolded, handcuffed and questioned by Israeli troops for hours before being released.
Humanitarian aid and commercial goods remain barred from entering through Rafah, adding to concerns that the crossing is not yet functioning as a meaningful relief route.
Health officials in Gaza said the limited number of medical evacuations is nowhere near enough for the territory’s needs, with tens of thousands requiring treatment abroad as hospitals struggle after years of war damage. Shifa Hospital director Dr Mohamed Abu Selmiya described the pace as “crisis management, not a solution,” warning that blocking medical supplies and evacuations could prove fatal for many patients.
UN and WHO officials also urged that Rafah be opened as a real humanitarian corridor. On Tuesday, WHO teams and ambulances escorted a small group of patients from Khan Younis towards Rafah, but only 16 patients with 40 relatives were reportedly brought to the Gaza side — fewer than the number promised.
Authorities said crossings could increase gradually if procedures stabilise, but security vetting by Israel and Egypt, along with bureaucratic hurdles, has already slowed movement. Delays on Monday were reportedly linked to disputes over luggage limits, with returnees claiming belongings were confiscated before being allowed through.
At the current pace, long waits are expected for the nearly 20,000 sick and wounded people Gaza’s Health Ministry says need treatment outside the strip. Egyptian authorities have said around 150 hospitals are prepared to receive evacuees.
Meanwhile, tensions remain high as ceasefire discussions move into a complex next phase, including plans for Gaza’s governance and reconstruction. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that Hamas must be disarmed before rebuilding begins, during talks with US envoy Steve Witkoff.
In a separate incident, Nasser Hospital reported that a 19-year-old man was shot dead by Israeli troops in southern Gaza on Tuesday morning, while Israel’s military said it was not immediately aware of any shooting in the area.