Palestinians gathered on each side of Gaza’s border with Egypt on Tuesday (February 3, 2026) hoping to go by the Rafah crossing, after its reopening the day prior to this was marred by delays, interrogations and uncertainty over who could be allowed to cross.
“On the Egyptian facet had been Palestinians who fled Gaza earlier within the Israel-Hamas battle to hunt medical remedy,” in accordance with Egypt’s state-run Al-Qahera Information tv.
On the Gaza facet, Palestinians in want of medical care that’s unavailable in Gaza gathered at a hospital earlier than ambulances moved towards Rafah, hoping for phrase that they might be allowed to cross the opposite method.
The workplace of the North Sinai Governor confirmed on Tuesday (February 3, 2026) that an unknown variety of sufferers and their companions had crossed from Gaza into Egypt.
The bus with about 40 Palestinians that entered Gaza through Rafah on Tuesday (February 3, 2026) arrived at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis on Wednesday morning (February 4, 2026), the place their households welcomed them after spending the whole day ready.
Although hailed as a step ahead for the delicate ceasefire struck in October, it took greater than 10 hours for less than a couple of dozen returnees and a small group of medical evacuees to cross in every course on the primary day Rafah reopened.
Three ladies who crossed into Gaza on Monday (February 2, 2026) advised the AP on Tuesday (February 3, 2026) that Israeli troops blindfolded and handcuffed them, then interrogated and threatened them, holding them for a number of hours earlier than they had been launched.
The importance of the Rafah border crossing and why its reopening issues to Egypt and Gaza | Defined
The numbers permitted to cross on Monday fell nicely wanting the 50 those that officers had mentioned could be allowed every method and barely started to handle the wants of tens of hundreds of Palestinians who’re hoping to be evacuated for remedy or to return dwelling. The import of humanitarian assist or items by Rafah stays prohibited.
‘Not an answer to the disaster’
Evacuation efforts on Tuesday morning (February 3, 2026) converged round a Pink Crescent hospital in Khan Younis, the place a World Well being Group staff arrived and a automobile carrying sufferers and their family rolled in from one other hospital. Then the group of WHO autos and Palestinian ambulances headed towards Rafah to await crossing.
Because the sick, wounded and displaced waited to cross in each instructions, well being officers mentioned the small quantity allowed to exit to this point paled beside Gaza’s super wants. Two years of preventing destroyed a lot of its medical infrastructure and left hospitals struggling to deal with trauma accidents, amputations and continual situations akin to most cancers.
In Gaza Metropolis, Shifa Hospital director Mohamed Abu Selmiya known as the tempo “disaster administration, not an answer to the disaster,” imploring Israel to allow the importing of medical provides and gear. He wrote on Fb, “Denying the evacuation of sufferers and stopping the entry of medicines is a dying sentence for them.” UN and WHO officers mentioned the trickle of sufferers allowed out and restrictions on bringing in desperately wanted provides are prolonging a disastrous state of affairs in Gaza.
“Rafah should operate as an actual humanitarian hall so we are able to have a surge in assist deliveries,” mentioned Tom Fletcher, the UN’s high aid official.
Palestinian Pink Crescent spokesperson Raed al-Nims advised AP that solely 16 sufferers with continual situations or battle wounds, accompanied by 40 family, had been introduced from Khan Younis to the Gaza facet of Rafah on Tuesday (February 3, 2026) — lower than the 45 sufferers and wounded the Pink Crescent was advised could be allowed.
After days of anticipation over the reopening, hope lingered that it’d mark a significant first step. In Khan Younis, Iman Rashwan waited for hours till her mom and sister returned from Egypt, hoping others would quickly see their family members once more.
Ready on each side
Officers say the variety of crossings might regularly improve if the system works, with Israel and Egypt vetting these allowed out and in. However safety considerations and bureaucratic snags shortly tempered expectations raised by officers who for weeks had solid reopening as a serious step within the ceasefire deal.
There have been delays on Monday (February 2, 2026) over disagreements about baggage allowances. Returnees had been carrying greater than anticipated with them, requiring extra negotiations, an individual aware of the state of affairs advised the AP on situation of anonymity.
“They did not allow us to cross with something,” Rotana Al-Regeb mentioned as she returned round midnight on Monday to Khan Younis. “They emptied every thing earlier than letting us by. We had been solely allowed to take the garments on our backs and one bag per individual.” The preliminary variety of Palestinians allowed to cross is usually symbolic. Israeli and Egyptian officers have mentioned that fifty medical evacuees would depart — together with two caregiver escorts — and 50 Palestinians who left throughout the battle would return.
“At that tempo, lengthy waits are going through many of the roughly 20,000 sick and wounded individuals who Gaza’s Well being Ministry has mentioned want remedy overseas. About 150 hospitals throughout Egypt are able to obtain sufferers,” authorities mentioned. Who and what could be allowed by Rafah was a central concern for each Israel and Egypt.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has mentioned that anybody who desires to depart will finally be permitted to take action, however Egypt has repeatedly mentioned the Rafah crossing should open in each instructions, fearing Israel might use it to push Palestinians out of Gaza.
19-year-old killed in southern Gaza
Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis mentioned Ahmed Abdel-Al, 19, was shot and killed by Israeli troops on Tuesday morning in part of the southern Gaza Metropolis, a ways away from the world beneath the Israeli army’s management. Israel’s army mentioned it was not instantly conscious of any shootings within the space.
Abdel-Al was the most recent of the 529 Palestinians killed by Israeli hearth because the October 10 begin of the ceasefire, in accordance with Gaza’s Well being Ministry.
Revealed – February 04, 2026 12:50 pm IST