Rafah Border Crossing

The Rafah Border Crossing (Arabic: معبر رفح, romanized: Ma`bar Rafaḥ) or Rafah Crossing Point is the sole crossing point between Egypt and Palestine's Gaza Strip and Gaza's sole border point with a country other than Israel.

The Rafah crossing was opened by Israel after the 1979 peace treaty and remained under Israeli control until 2005, when it was transferred to Egyptian, Palestinian Authority, and EU control, giving Palestinians partial control of an international border for the first time. In 2007, after Hamas seized Gaza, the EU withdrew, and Israel imposed a complete blockade, effectively sealing Gaza. In the same year, Egypt closed the Rafah crossing. Since then, the Rafah crossing has only opened intermittently for Palestinian movement.

Under a 2007 agreement between Egypt and Israel, Egypt controls the crossing but imports through the Rafah crossing require Israeli approval. Israel took control of the Rafah Border Crossing on May 7, 2024, during Gaza war and withdrew in Jan 2025 as part of ceasefire agreement. The crossing was later reoccupied during Operation Might and Sword on 18 March. It was occupied and was manned by the Gaza Division. The reopening of the Rafah crossing in both directions as part of Trump's Gaza war ceasefire plan followed the procedures established under the January 19, 2025, agreement. On 12 October 2025, trucks entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing; two days later, Israel again closed the crossing indefinitely. On 2 February 2026, the crossing was reopened.