About 20,000 Palestinian children and adults needing medical care hope to leave the devastated territory via the crossing, according to Gaza health officials.

A dozen Palestinian returnees were allowed into Gaza from Egypt late Monday night after the long-awaited reopening of the Rafah border crossing was marred by delays.

Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt reopened on Monday for limited traffic, a key step in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire but a mostly symbolic development on the ground as few people will be allowed to travel in either direction and no goods will pass through it.

The Rafah crossing will be run by supervisors from the European Union and local Palestinian staff, while Israel will carry out remote security checks. On Sunday, Israeli authorities said a trial opening of the crossing was carried out and completed.

Gaza's Rafah border, the only crossing connecting the besieged Palestinian ‌enclave ​with Egypt, reopened on Monday for a limited ‌number of travellers on foot after being sealed shut by Israel for nearly a year.

Palestinians have started to enter the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt after it reopened for the movement of people. The crossing has largely been closed since May 2024, when the Gazan side was captured by Israeli forces.

Palestinians in Gaza watched with hope and impatience Sunday as workers laid the groundwork to reopen the territory's Rafah border crossing with Egypt, its lifeline to the world. Israel says the crossing is scheduled to resume Monday as its ceasefire with Hamas moves ahead.

A dozen Palestinian returnees were allowed into Gaza from Egypt late Monday night after the long-awaited reopening of the Rafah border crossing was marred by delays.