Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt reopens for limited travel – latest updates | Gaza
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Israel to ban MSF from working in Gaza Strip after refusing to provide staff list
Israel announced that it would suspend Médecins Sans Frontières’ operations in Gaza after the humanitarian organization refused to provide the personal information of its employees to Israeli authorities.
One expression In a statement released over the weekend, MSF said:
After months of unsuccessful negotiations with Israeli authorities, and in the absence of safeguards to ensure the safety of our staff or the independent management of our operations, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has concluded that under current circumstances it will not share a list of its Palestinian and international staff with Israeli authorities.
It added that despite repeated efforts, Israel had failed to provide “concrete assurances”, including that “any staff information will be used only for the stated administrative purpose and will not put colleagues at risk, that MSF will have full authority over all human resources matters and the management of medical humanitarian supplies, and that all communications that defame MSF and undermine staff security will be stopped.”
Israeli Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Anti-Semitism confirmed his decision It was stated that MSF ceased its activities because “MSF was unable to provide lists of local employees, which is a requirement for all humanitarian organizations operating in the region.” “In accordance with the regulations, MSF will cease its activities and leave the Gaza Strip by 28 February 2026,” the ministry said.
According to MSF, at least 15 of its staff have been killed by Israeli forces since October 2023. Last year, MSF carried out critical lifesaving operations amid shortages of medical supplies due to Israeli blockades.
In addition to providing 800,000 examinations, MSF assisted with one in three births and supported one in five hospital beds; he stated that these services “cannot be easily replaced”.
According to reports in Egyptian state media, 50 Palestinians are expected to cross the border in both directions.
With the restriction that only those traveling on foot can cross the border, the number of people passing through is expected to be very limited.
Only fifty people are expected to cross the border between Gaza and Egypt in both directions in the first days of the reopening, Egyptian state-run media reported on Monday.
Earlier, an Israeli defense official said the crossing could hold a total of 150 to 200 people in both directions. The official added that more people will leave than return as patients leave with their attendants. The list of people who will pass through the crossing was submitted by Egypt and approved by Israel, the official said.
Reopening the border crossing was one of the key requirements of the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the conflict. However, the ceasefire, which came into force in October after two years of conflict, has been repeatedly shaken by violence.
Local health officials say Israeli offensives in Gaza have killed more than 500 Palestinians since the ceasefire began, and Palestinian militants have killed four Israeli soldiers, according to Israeli officials.
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Opening summary
Hello, welcome to our live broadcast on the situation in Gaza, where Israel has reopened the border between Gaza and Egypt at limited capacity. The pass has been largely closed since May 2024.
Cogat, the Israeli agency responsible for administering Gaza, said the reopening was coordinated with Egypt and the European Union.
The statement stated that the movement of Palestinians between Egypt and Gaza, which is only permitted on foot, will be allowed “only after prior security clearance by Israel” and that both Israel and Egypt will impose limits on the number of passengers crossing the border.
Earlier, Cogat said he expected “residents to move in both directions, moving in and out of Gaza.”
Many of those hoping to leave are sick and injured people needing medical care abroad; but the process can be slow.
Cogat said that after the initial identification and screening by the EU mission at the transit crossing, another screening process will be carried out “in a designated corridor operated by the defense establishment in an area under IDF control.”
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said there were approximately 20,000 patients waiting to leave Gaza.
The reopening of the Rafah border crossing comes as Israel launched some of its deadliest attacks in recent months in Gaza over the weekend, killing at least 30 Palestinians, including those seeking shelter in tent cities.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, more than 500 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since the ceasefire began last October.
