Palestinians relieved as Rafah border opens

Palestinians were relieved on Monday (February 2) when the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt opened. Many who had been stranded in Egypt and other countries due to the long war have started to return home as the crossing reopened. Faten Hamed Abu Watfa, a 43-year-old Palestinian mother, had not seen her three children for a long time. She left Gaza City for Egypt in April 2024. She thought she would return to her family once her mother-in-law finished her treatment. However, she was stranded in Egypt after the Rafah border crossing was closed.
Nearly two years later, Abu Watfa is eagerly waiting to return to her loved ones as the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt has been opened on both sides. Her home has been destroyed in the war. Still, she is already packing her bags. According to her, everything else pales in comparison to the joy of having her family back.
Meanwhile, many are trying to leave Gaza for various reasons, including medical treatment. One of them is 50-year-old Tamer al-Burai. He has been suffering from a chronic respiratory disease for a long time. However, the health sector in the Gaza Strip has completely collapsed due to the Israeli offensive. He has been counting the days waiting to go to Egypt for treatment since the opening of the Rafah crossing. The Rafah border was opened yesterday as part of the Gaza ceasefire plan. However, thousands of Gazans have already applied to leave the Strip for medical treatment. The Gaza Health Ministry said that the number is at least 20,000, including children and cancer patients.