Rafah crossing reopens with tight limits, offering a fragile lifeline for Gaza

Israel reopened Gaza's Rafah border crossing with Egypt to allow movement of people after being closed since May 2024, as part of a phased ceasefire framework tied to the return of the last Israeli hostage's body. The crossing will operate with strict daily caps—about 50 patients may exit Gaza and 50 may return with no goods allowed—under EU supervision and remote Israeli security checks, while around 20,000 sick and wounded Palestinians await exit and aid continues to enter Gaza through Kerem Shalom. The move is seen as a cautious lifeline rather than a full reopening.