Egyptian authorities open Rafah border crossing for first time in 2018

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Egyptian authorities on Thursday opened the Rafah Border Crossing with the besieged Gaza Strip, for the second day in a row in both directions, to allow the exit of stranded Palestinians on both sides of the border.

Awni Al-Najjar, 70, rushed to Rafah from the Gaza Strip on Thursday, hoping that he could finally cross the Gaza border into Egypt after four failed attempts, the last time was in 2017.

Awni said that his health condition has seriously deteriorated recently and in critical need of spine surgery in Cairo, adding that now he is in constant need of a wheel chair.

Awni Al-Najjar waiting for his turn to enter the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, in the southern of Gaza Strip, Feb. 8, 2018. /CGTN Photo

In 2017, the Egyptians temporarily opened the Rafah Crossing, Gaza’s sole gate to the outer world, for 28 days, according to United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) data.

Mohammed Al-Waheidi, 55, is one of thousands of Palestinians stranded in the Gaza Strip. Mohammed and his wife came to visit family in Gaza, and left his kids with relatives in Egypt. The couple got stuck in Gaza and could not leave until now.

“It is very sad to be unable to control your life, and to be forced to live away from your family,” he said with anger in his voice.

Mohammed Al-Waheidi waiting for his turn to enter the Rafah border crossing to Egypt, in the southern of Gaza Strip.. Feb. 8, 2018. /CGTN Photo

The United Nations already expressed concern over the continuous closure of the border. Essam Yunis, the director of the Al-Mizan Center for Human Rights in Gaza, said that Palestinian students and patients are the most severely affected by the closure of the border. Yunis noted that the limited openings of the border is the main reason for the displacement of many Palestinian families in Gaza and other countries.

Essam Yunis, the director of the Al-Mizan center for human rights in Gaza. Feb. 8, 2018. /CGTN Photo

There are five crossings in the Gaza Strip, four of them are under Israel’s control. The Rafah Border Crossing on the border with Egypt is the only crossing under the control of the Palestinian Authority and Egypt.

Egypt has kept the Rafah border mostly sealed since the Islamist Hamas movement won the parliamentary elections in 2006, the matter which contributed in the worsening of the humanitarian situation of about two million people living in the coastal territory.

Authorities said the crossing will be open until Friday. Egypt opens the border for three days every month or two for stranded travelers, students and people with work permit or residency in other countries.