Overview
- Actual flows were minimal on the first day, with five injured Palestinians and seven companions evacuated to Egypt and about a dozen people returning, according to AFP and local officials.
- Initial targets cited by authorities and border sources point to roughly 50 travelers per direction daily, though some outlets reported up to 150 departures on day one.
- Crossings require prior Israeli security clearance under EU mission supervision with Egyptian coordination, and returnees face limits on baggage including bans on electronics and most metal items.
- Humanitarian convoys are still barred from entering Gaza via Rafah as health officials estimate about 20,000 patients urgently need care, with aid largely funneled through Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing.
- The pilot follows Israel’s recovery of the last hostage’s body and forms part of the US plan for Gaza, with the terminal located in an area held by Israeli forces and travelers reporting intensive searches and confiscations.