The reopening of the Rafah Crossing in Egypt has brought newfound hope to many sick and wounded children from Gaza, who began traveling to Egypt for urgent medical treatment last Saturday. For the first time in nearly nine months, the Rafah border opened, facilitating a crucial lifeline in an otherwise isolated territory. This development comes as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
The reopening of Rafah signifies a significant diplomatic breakthrough. This action was taken after an agreement was reached last month, post the release of the last living female hostages by Hamas. Israel agreed to open the crossing as a gesture in this agreement. The significance is multifold, given the dire condition of medical facilities in Gaza after months of intense conflict.
Egypt's state television captured images of the poignant scene where at least two Palestinian Red Cross ambulances transported children to the border gates. Many children, being transferred on gurneys, had serious injuries; one young girl’s foot had been amputated, highlighting the critical condition of those in need.
According to Zaher al-Wahidi from Gaza's Health Ministry, by Saturday evening, 37 children had successfully crossed into Egypt. Alongside these children, about 60 family members accompanied them, ensuring they had needed familial support during their medical evacuation.
Currently, these children represent the first cohort in an anticipated series of evacuations intended to provide medical treatment for Palestinians outside Gaza. The long-standing unrest has severely weakened Gaza’s health infrastructure, making access to vital healthcare even more challenging.
Over the past 15 months, ongoing military actions by Israel against Hamas have left Gaza’s healthcare system in ruins. With crucial health facilities damaged or inoperable, an estimated 110,000 Palestinians had been wounded. The Gaza Health Ministry highlights an urgent need for more than 12,000 patients to receive immediate treatment, while the pool of those needing evacuation ready now consists of over 6,000 individuals.
The Rafah Crossing holds strategic importance, as it is Gaza's only portal avoiding entry into Israel. It had been closed earlier this year by Israeli forces during their offensive, with the Egyptian side also shutting its portion in protest.
Before recent conflicts, the Rafah Crossing served as a critical access point for the people of Gaza, who seek medical treatment unavailable within the territory due to a 15-year blockade by Israel and Egypt. This blockade, primarily aimed at controlling Hamas' influence, has had debilitating effects on the area's healthcare capabilities.
Reopening the crossing required tackling complex diplomatic negotiations to align security interests among Israeli, Egyptian, and Palestinian authorities. Israel ensures that current management of the crossing does not include Hamas, citing previous incidents of smuggling through border tunnels, which Egypt claims to have neutralized.
The Rafah Crossing, now manned by Palestinian officers who were former PA border staff, operates under strict supervision to ensure non-affiliation with Hamas. European monitors will also resume oversight roles, as they did prior to 2007, adding another layer of assurance of adherence to international agreements.
These preliminary negotiations are the stepping stone to deeper discussions on achieving a permanent ceasefire, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and securing the release of remaining hostages. While the future of post-conflict Gaza governance remains a sticking point, with Israel opposing Palestinian Authority control, the reopening of the crossing marks a small yet critical step forward.
