Photo courtesy of The Egyptian Red Crescent.
“The opening of the Rafah crossing marks a concrete and positive step in the peace plan,” Kallas said in a post on X, stressing that the move would help alleviate humanitarian suffering in the besieged territory.
Kallas added that the EU’s civilian mission was already on the ground to monitor crossing operations and support Palestinian border guards, highlighting the bloc’s shift from political backing to direct operational involvement.
“For Gaza’s sick and wounded, the reopening is a lifeline,” she said, noting that renewed operations at Rafah would also allow families to reunite after months of separation caused by prolonged restrictions.
She stressed that practical measures, such as restoring border access, were essential to keeping the truce plan on track, while warning that humanitarian needs in Gaza remain urgent despite the easing of some restrictions.
Gaza’s reconstruction will depend on sustained aid flows and political and security conditions, including the demilitarization of Hamas, which she described as a prerequisite for long-term recovery and stability, Kallas stated.
Early on Monday, the first group of Palestinians returning from Egypt arrived in the Gaza Strip as the Rafah border crossing began limited two-way operations. Around 50 people crossed from Egypt into Gaza, while a similar number entered Egypt from the strip on the first day of regular operations.
The crossing reopened on a provisional basis early Sunday after months of closures and repeated delays linked to Israeli control of the Palestinian side of the terminal.
Hospitals in North Sinai and neighbouring governorates were placed on maximum alert as operations resumed, with emergency, intensive care, and surgical units fully mobilized.
Authorities instructed central and field hospitals to free up beds, reinforce blood banks, and increase stocks of medicines and medical equipment, particularly for critical and severe injury cases.
The Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) said it had raised readiness to the highest level at its humanitarian service centres in Rafah, providing psychological support for children, escort services for the wounded, elderly, and disabled, wheelchair assistance, and family-link restoration services.
The organization also set up a mobile humanitarian kitchen to distribute hot and dry meals, winter clothing, and personal care supplies to arrivals.
Under a ceasefire agreement signed in mid-October to end the war in Gaza, Israel was expected to reopen the Rafah border crossing, the territory’s main gateway to Egypt. However, Israel, which has bombed and controlled the Palestinian side of the crossing since May 2024, repeatedly delayed the move.
Since the outbreak of the war in October 2023, Rafah has faced prolonged closures and severe operational restrictions, sharply limiting civilian movement and humanitarian access.
While Egypt has kept the crossing open from its side, actual operations have depended on security conditions, Israeli approvals, and international coordination.
The crossing remains a critical lifeline for medical evacuations, humanitarian relief, and limited civilian travel.
Egypt has also activated a nationwide emergency health plan involving around 150 hospitals, up to 300 fully equipped ambulances, and more than 30,000 medical workers to support the phased resumption of operations.
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