TheRafah border crossingbetween the Gaza Strip and Egypt partially reopened Monday, a significant step in theceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The limited reopening will allow some movement of people in and out of the Palestinian enclave, enabling small numbers in need of medical aid to leave Gaza and letting some others return to the territory.
A spokesperson for the Israeli military agency COGAT, Shimi Zuaretz, confirmed to NBC News that the crossing had reopened at 2 a.m. ET. He was unable to say how many people had crossed so far.
COGAT had said Sunday the crossing would reopen only for the movement of people. It earlier warned that the crossings at Rafah would be limited and would involve security clearance by Israel.
European Union border officers are expected to assist with operations at the crossing, consistent with past operations in Rafah. Shadi Othman, media officer at the European Union Office in Jerusalem, told NBC News on Monday the reopening would allow dozens of patients to leave Gaza, while dozens of people would enter from the Egyptian side.
"This is today's plan," Othman said. "We will wait until the end of the day to see what will happen and to know the final number of those who depart and those who enter."
The crossing in Gaza's southernmost city has been nearly completely closed since May 2024, amid Israel's massive military offensive launched in response to the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led terrorist attack. The conflict was brought to a halt in October by a ceasefire brokered in part by the United States.
The closure of the Rafah crossing, which has long been one of the only gateways to the rest of the world for Palestinians in Gaza, cut off an important route for the sick or injured to get medical care outside the war-ravaged enclave. Hospitals and other lifesaving infrastructure inside Gaza have been largely destroyed or badly damaged in the Israeli offensive.
The Egyptian Health Ministry said Monday that the level of preparedness at all health care facilities had been raised for the movement of patients and the wounded, and the return to Gaza of those who have recovered. Some 150 hospitals nationwide, nearly 12,000 doctors and between 250 and 300 fully equipped ambulances, were on standby for crisis management, it said.
Khaled Mujawir, the governor of Egypt's North Sinai province, told NBC News on Sunday that 150 wounded, injured and sick Palestinians from Gaza were expected to arrive in Egypt on Monday.
The director of the Nasser Medical Complex in the city of Khan Younis told NBC News that Israel had approved travel for only five patients from a list of 27 the hospital had submitted for transfer. Delaying travel of those in medical need out of Gaza is "a real threat to their lives," Dr. Atef Al-Hout said.
The reopening the crossing in both directions is a key pillar ofPresident Donald Trump's peace plan for Gazaand comes just days after the remains ofthe last hostage held in the enclave were returned to Israel.
The reopening could signal a long-awaited transition to the second phase of the plan, which also involves Hamas' disarmament, the transfer of power to a new technocratic government and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces.
But many details remain uncertain, and the ceasefire remains shaky.
Israeli strikes on Gaza killedat least 30 Palestinians including several children Saturday, local officials said, a day after Israel accused Hamas of new truce violations. Israel's army said it was targeting Hamas militants and weapons sites across the Gaza Strip.
Israel has killed more than 500 people in Gaza since the ceasefire began, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in the enclave.
