30,000 Palestinians wait for Rafah crossing to reopen to return to Gaza

At least 30,000 Palestinians have registered with the Palestinian embassy in Cairo and are waiting for the Rafah border crossing to reopen so they can return to Gaza, the Associated Press reported, citing a Palestinian embassy official who spoke on condition of anonymity as details of the reopening are still under discussion.

The agency quoted also an Israeli official as saying that Egypt will provide Israel with a daily list of names for screening and decision-making.

The official said that the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), will transport Palestinians by bus to and from the crossing.

He added that there will be no Israeli soldiers at the crossing itself, but Palestinians entering or leaving will undergo Israeli security checks inside Gaza.

In the past, such checks were carried out by Israeli soldiers and private American contractors.

Last Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “Anyone who enters or leaves is subject to our inspection, and it is a full inspection.”

The crossing will be run by officers from the European Union Border Assistance Mission and the Palestinian Authority.

Palestinian officials also told the Associated Press that plain-clothes police officers will stamp passports, as they did during a short ceasefire at the start of 2025 and before Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007.

Read: Gaza Administration Committee: Israeli restrictions delay reopening of Rafah crossing again