Israel has opened the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza again, allowing Palestinians who will be travelling on foot to move in and out of the country for the first time in months. 

The reopening, which started on Monday, however, has some limits to the amount of people allowed to travel with also strict security checks. 

Both the Israeli and the Egyptian authorities are supervising the process, with European teams deployed for monitoring at the crossing. Isreal also insisted that all travelers must undergo screening before allowing to leave or enter Gaza. 

The Israeli has been in control of the Rafah crossing since May 2024, during the intense times of the Gaza war which led to the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on the Isreal the Palestinians were free the pass the border. The conflict was paused by a ceasefire agreement in October through the intervention of the United States President Donald Trump. Reopening the Rafah border was one of the key conditions tied to the first stage of the ceasefire agreement. 

Before the crossing was shut, many Palestinians escaped the war by crossing into Egypt. During the early months of the war, Palestinians officials estimated that around 100,000 people left Gaza, some with help from aid organizations, while others reportedly paid huge sums of money to secure their passage. 

The closure of Rafah has cut off escape route for so many sick and injured people in Palestine seeking medical care and attention abroad. Although Isreal has allowed a small number of patients to pass through their territory to other countries. 

Despite the Rafah reopening, Isreal continues to block foreign journalists from entering Gaza, a restriction with which was placed since the war began. Media groups argue this will limits independent reporting on the humanitarian situation, while Israeli authorities also argued saying the security concerns will make access risky. 

Meanwhile, the ceasefire remains fragile with Isreal expressing doubt that the Hamas will give up their weapons, as proposed in the next phase of the ceasefire agreement, and has hinted in the possibility of continued fighting. Since the ceasefire began, hundreds of Palestinians have reportedly been killed in strikes carried out by Isreal, while several Israeli soldiers have also died. 

Over the weekend, heavy airstrikes were carried out by Israeli forces in Gaza, killing dozens, which Israel said was response to a violation of truce by the Hamas. Gaza remains largely devastated by months of fighting, with residents of the country living in overcrowded tents or damaged buildings. 

The recent incident happening has further raised fresh concerns about whether the ceasefire agreement between the two countries can still hold.