Tel Aviv, Israel – Three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that Israel is working to impose restrictions on the number of Palestinians returning to the Gaza Strip from Egypt via the Rafah crossing, ensuring that the number of those leaving exceeds the number returning. This move comes ahead of the crossing’s expected reopening next week and raises Palestinian concerns about a policy of restricting movement and preventing the right of return.
The Rafah crossing is virtually the only gateway for more than two million Palestinians living in Gaza to enter and exit the territory. Ali Shaath, head of the US-backed Palestinian technocratic committee temporarily managing the Gaza Strip, announced on Thursday that the crossing would reopen next week, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement.
According to the sources, the mechanism Israel will use to restrict the number of returnees, and the target ratio between those leaving and those entering, remain unclear. However, Israeli officials have previously spoken of “encouraging emigration” from Gaza, while denying any intention of forcibly displacing the population. These statements are highly sensitive for Palestinians, given their historical fears of being prevented from returning.
Sources indicated that Israel also wants to establish a military checkpoint inside the Gaza Strip near the border with Egypt, requiring Palestinians leaving and returning to pass through it and undergo Israeli security checks. Two sources confirmed that this proposal was raised persistently during recent discussions, without determining the fate of those who might be denied passage, particularly those coming from Egypt.
It is expected that Palestinians affiliated with the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah will manage the crossing, with monitoring from the European Union, similar to the arrangements made during a previous ceasefire early last year. There was no official comment from the Israeli Prime Minister’s office, and the Israeli army referred inquiries to the government.
Under the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war, the Israeli army withdrew from parts of Gaza, but maintained control over approximately 53% of the Strip, including the entire land border with Egypt. Most of the population lives in limited areas suffering from widespread destruction and a severe shortage of services.
