The Reopening Illusion: When 'Relief' is a Chokehold
THE CLAIM: What are they telling us? Al-Monitor, citing Reuters, reports the Rafah border crossing, Gaza's only direct link to Egypt, has 'reopened' for a 'limited number of travelers on foot' after being 'sealed shut by Israel for nearly a year' since May 2024. This, they suggest, brings 'relief' to those seeking medical care or returning. The implication is a benevolent gesture, a loosening of
the grip. THE EVIDENCE: What does the public record actually show? Firstly, the word 'reopened' is a misnomer. Before May 2024, Rafah operated under severe restrictions imposed by both Egypt and Israel. Even prior to the current conflict, statistics from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) show that the average daily number of exits through Rafah in 2023 was only
about 248 people per day , not including workers – a fraction of what would be considered free movement for a population of over two million. This wasn't a free-flowing border before the 'seizure'; it was a tightly controlled valve. The current 'reopening' for 'a limited number' likely means a return to, or even a further reduction from, these already abysmal numbers. Secondly, the framing of
Israel 'seizing' the crossing requires context. While Israeli forces did take control of the Palestinian side of Rafah in May 2024, the control over Gaza's borders, including Rafah, has been a cornerstone of the Israeli-Egyptian blockade for over 17 years, initiated in 2007 . This latest military action merely formalized an existing reality of control, shifting the direct operational oversight