RAFAH, Palestinian Territories: Around 180 Palestinians have left the Gaza Strip since the limited reopening of the Rafah crossing with Egypt a week ago, according to officials in the territory.
The Rafah crossing, the only gateway for Gazans to the outside world that does not pass through Israel, reopened for the movement of people on February 2, nearly two years after Israeli forces seized control of it during the war with Hamas.
Between Monday and Thursday, 135 people crossed into Egypt from Gaza through the crossing, mostly patients and their companions, according to Ismail Al-Thawabteh, head of the Hamas-run media office in the Palestinian territory.
“Official statistics on the movement at the Rafah crossing from Monday, February 2, 2026, until Thursday, February 5, 2026, show a severe restriction on travel,” Thawabteh said.
He said the crossing was also closed on Friday and Saturday.
