The Rafah border crossing is a modest, isolated outpost at the southern end of the Gaza Strip. Yet it could be a critical lifeline as Gazans face a growing humanitarian crisis.
A Palestinian-German woman shows her German passport at the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt on Saturday. The crossing point remains closed, but is a potential route for foreign passport holders to leave Gaza, and for humanitarian supplies to enter as the Mideast crisis worsens.A Palestinian-German woman shows her German passport at the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt on Saturday.
"I think every Palestinian now has his passport ready in his pocket," said Mahmoud Abbas, who was then, and still is, the president of the Palestinian Authority."Let them come to cross at this terminal whenever they want." Israeli troops were no longer in Gaza. But the Israeli military and Hamas militants have battled long-distance, with Hamas firing rockets into Israel, and Israel hitting back with air strikes. They are now waging their most intense fighting ever.
The original tunnels in Rafah have expanded into the elaborate subterranean network Hamas has established under Gaza today. Many Hamas members are now believed to be hiding in the tunnels as the territory braces for what's expected to be a major Israeli ground incursion.With U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken shuttling between Mideast capitals, it appeared he had negotiated at least a partial opening of the Rafah crossing for Monday morning.
"Israel has not agreed to give any humanitarian aid to Hamas," the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement Monday.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Egypt, US, Israel agree ceasefire in southern Gaza, opening of Rafah crossing at 0600 GMTEgypt, Israel and the U.S. agreed to a ceasefire in southern Gaza beginning at 0600 GMT coinciding with the re-opening of the Rafah border crossing, two Egyptian security sources said on Monday.
Read more »
Palestinian Americans hoping to flee Gaza eye the Rafah border crossing with EgyptYasmine Salam is an associate producer with the NBC News Investigative Unit. Previously she worked in the London Bureau, covering international stories.
Read more »
Rafah on Egypt's border is now the only crossing out of GazaDoha Madani is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News. Pronouns: she/her.
Read more »
Crowd gathers at Gaza's Rafah crossing waiting to enter EgyptThis is additional taxonomy that helps us with analytics
Read more »
Aid for Gaza stuck in Egypt with Rafah crossing still closedShipments of aid from Jordan, Türkiye, the UAE and WHO have arrived at El Arish airport, 50 kilometres west of Rafah.
Read more »
Lack of water worsens misery in besieged Gaza as Israeli airstrikes continueIn the besieged Gaza Strip, 2.3 million people don’t have access to clean, running water...
Read more »