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Since the Hamas takeover of Gaza in 2007, Israel has imposed a land, sea and air blockade, which has escalated into a “total siege” since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched the Al-Aqsa Flood operation against Israel. As a result, Gaza has come under intense Israeli military fire.
What are the possible outcomes of the ongoing conflict, and why is the Rafah Crossing frequently mentioned?
An Open-Air Prison
The Gaza Strip is a small enclave, approximately 42 kilometers long and 6 to 12 kilometers wide. It is bordered by Israel to the north and east, the Mediterranean Sea to the west and Egypt to the south. Nearly 2.4 million Palestinians live in this tiny patch.
Since June 2007 when Hamas seized control of Gaza, Israel has regarded it as a “hostile territory” and has imposed a nearly 20-year blockade, which restricts the flow of goods and people, coupled with an embargo. As a result, “The majority of the population in Gaza depends on food aid provided by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and the World Food Programme (WFP),” according to a 2008 United Nations Human Rights Council special report.
Due to its unique geographical location, Gaza only has two land crossings. Erez Crossing at the northern border with Israel (known as Erez in Israel) is controlled by the Israeli military, while the Rafah Crossing at the southern border with Egypt is managed by Egyptian authorities.
A third crossing from Rafah, Karem Abou Salem (or Kerem Shalom), is controlled by Israel and is exclusively used by Israelis.
These border crossings have often remained closed rather than open. According to a report from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Egyptian authorities have closed the Rafah border crossing with Gaza for extended periods since 2014, mainly due to political unrest in Egypt. For example, during the first five months of 2022, the crossing was open for 95 out of 151 days, according to the same report.
Additionally, to pass through the Erez Crossing, a Palestinian must obtain a special permit issued by the Israeli authorities, primarily granted for medical reasons.
A heavily fortified concrete wall that separates the Gaza Strip from Israel to the east further constrains the movement of people.
It is essential to highlight that Gaza has not had an airport since 2001 when the one named after the leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, Yasser Arafat, was destroyed by Israeli airstrikes, just three years after its opening.
This clarifies what has given the Gaza Strip its moniker of an “open-air prison,” with Rafah serving as the only escape route, albeit still controlled. Anyone wanting to leave Gaza, Palestinian or not, must obtain documented authorization to do so, according to sources cited by the French media outlet RFI.
A Strategic Point
Since the start of the Gaza War on October 7, 2023, the Rafah Crossing has become a critical focal point, especially given that Israel imposed a “total siege” on the region. This crossing is the only land entry point for humanitarian aid.
According to an OCHA report dated October 18, 2023, “Around 3,000 tons of humanitarian aid, including food, water and medicine, are waiting in trucks on the Egyptian side of the Rafah Crossing,” which remains closed for “desperately needed humanitarian assistance.”
US President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday that Egypt and Israel had agreed to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Egyptians were expected to begin repair work at the Rafah Crossing due to damage caused by Israeli bombings. However, due to these repairs, the aid may arrive on Friday.
But relief remains distant for Gazan displaced persons who have fled to the southern part of the strip. There are over a million of them, many of which are waiting at the gates of Rafah in hopes of an opening.
It is worth noting that the Rafah terminal may open solely for entry into Gaza, as Egypt refuses to host Palestinians on its territory.
Moreover, according to the report from October 18, “Both the Erez and Kerem Shalom crossings with Israel remain closed. Permits for patients and their companions to leave Gaza for medical care in the West Bank and Israel have not been issued since October 7.”
