The Rafah border crossing has witnessed the return of a second contingent of Palestinian civilians to the Gaza Strip from Egypt, marking a significant humanitarian development in the ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. According to Egypt’s state-affiliated Al-Qahera News TV, these individuals—comprising war-wounded patients and their accompanying relatives—completed entry procedures on the Egyptian side before transiting back into Gaza on Tuesday.
This repatriation follows the crossing’s official reactivation on Monday, its first operational resumption since May 2024. The movement is part of the second phase implementation of the ceasefire agreement brokered between the conflicting parties. Palestinian media confirmed that an initial group of 12 returnees arrived via bus at Khan Younis’ Nasser Medical Complex on Monday evening.
The returning Palestinians had previously received critical medical treatment and healthcare services in Egyptian hospitals. Gaza’s health authorities emphasize the staggering scale of medical need within the enclave, reporting approximately 22,000 Palestinians requiring urgent external medical treatment, including over 400 cases classified as immediately life-threatening.
In preparation for continued medical transfers, Egypt’s Ministry of Health has mobilized substantial medical resources, placing approximately 12,000 doctors across 150 hospitals on high alert to receive additional wounded Palestinians and patients.
The current fragile ceasefire took effect on October 10, 2025, concluding two years of devastating conflict that Gaza health authorities report resulted in at least 71,800 Palestinian fatalities and 171,500 injuries.