GAZA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Fear and anxiety are gripping residents of the Gaza Strip amid growing talk of an imminent reopening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, as uncertainty persists over the scope of operations and restrictions that may be imposed on travelers more than two years after a devastating war.
The Rafah crossing is the main outlet for Gaza's population, particularly patients. Israel took control of the crossing in May 2024 following its military operation in the southern city of Rafah and has since halted passenger movement, deepening the humanitarian crisis and further isolating the coastal enclave.
Suleiman al-Ahmed, a 30-year-old resident of Gaza City, told Xinhua that he is anxiously awaiting news of the crossing's reopening "at any moment," hoping his wife and two children, who traveled to Egypt shortly before the closure, will be able to return.
"Two years of waiting and anxiety have passed. Each day adds to the psychological burden," he said.
Israel's Prime Minister's Office said on Sunday that Israel has agreed to a limited reopening of the Rafah crossing for pedestrian passage only, subject to a full Israeli inspection mechanism.
A Ramallah-based source close to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, who asked not to be named, told Xinhua that preparations are under way to compile lists of travelers and returnees, adding that discussions are ongoing to finalize technical arrangements for operating the crossing.
The source said priority in the initial weeks would be given to patients and wounded individuals, holders of foreign passports and students, as well as the gradual return of Gaza residents who received medical treatment abroad.
In a displacement camp in the Al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis, 50-year-old Faten al-Helou, who described Rafah as a "lifeline," said she fears she will not be granted permission to travel for medical treatment.
Gaza-based health authorities warned that the continued closure of Rafah to patients and wounded individuals is worsening their conditions to dangerous levels.
The health authorities said about 20,000 patients have completed medical referrals and are awaiting permission to travel, citing shortages of medicines and medical equipment, the suspension of specialized services, and extensive damage to hospital infrastructure.
According to the health authorities, 1,268 patients have died while awaiting permission. Only 3,100 patients have been able to leave Gaza since the crossing was closed on May 7, 2024.
Amjad al-Shawa, director of the Palestinian NGO Network in Gaza, said concrete preparations are in place, particularly regarding patient lists, noting that most departures in the first phase are expected to be medical cases, while strict measures may be imposed on returnees.
While the crossing serves as a lifeline for many, it also represents access to education and the possibility of a future free from war for young people.
Sultan al-Ashi, a 20-year-old Gaza City resident who has been accepted into an Egyptian university, said he is anxiously waiting to begin his medical studies. "Two years of our lives were lost to war and siege," he said.
Outside Gaza, displaced families are also waiting uneasily. Israa Abu Zeid, a 34-year-old mother of three living in the Egyptian city of El Arish, told Xinhua by phone that her family fled Gaza after their home in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood was destroyed, expecting to return within weeks.
"Months turned into years, and the children live in constant instability and longing for home," she said.
Unofficial estimates suggest that tens of thousands of Palestinians remain outside Gaza since the Rafah crossing was closed.
Ahed Ferwana, a Gaza-based political expert, said the lack of clarity surrounding return criteria has intensified psychological distress, particularly among children, as families continue to view Rafah as a gateway to a life suspended between war and waiting. ■
