On the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing, anticipation and vigilance prevail as a crowd of dual-national Palestinians and foreign passport holders gathers, awaiting permission to leave for Egypt and beyond. Meanwhile, on the Egyptian side of the border, dozens of trucks transporting aid to the besieged Gaza Strip remain queued temporarily. All this unfolds while the Israeli military continues its preparations for an imminent ground offensive on Gaza.
Egyptian authorities have made it a condition that relief aid must reach Gaza through the Rafah crossing before any facilitation of the departure of dual nationals from Gaza is granted. Additionally, Israeli approval for a short humanitarian ceasefire is required before the exit of any foreign citizens.
The U.S. administration announced an agreement with Egypt and Israel to open the Rafah crossing for the departure of foreign nationals, including Americans, until the evening.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State encouraged American citizens in Gaza to move south toward Rafah in preparation for a potential reopening of the crossing, suggesting that the crossing might be operational for a brief period.
For eight consecutive days, Gaza, under siege since 2006, has endured intensive Israeli airstrikes that have ravaged entire neighborhoods, resulting in thousands of casualties among Palestinian civilians and causing mass displacement. These actions have drawn widespread local and international condemnation, with many describing it as a second forced displacement of Palestinians, following their earlier displacement in the aftermath of the 1948 Nakba.
