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Only 400 a day allowed through Rafah crossing as hardship of Egypt's restrictions persist


From Al Jazeera

In March, Egypt announced the easing of restrictions at Rafah by allowing men between the age of 18 and 40, and women of all ages into Egypt, though Egyptian security officials say the reason for not increasing the total number of people allowed in is due to the "intense traffic of passengers" and "insufficient staff to work at the crossing".

"At that time, those were very good policies", Abu Shaar explains. But after Egypt announced the new rules, "more people showed up to our gates within these categories and wanted to travel", he said. Three days after that announcement, Egypt revised its restrictions again, and reduced the daily quota from 650 to 400.

Reem Ghelani, Deputy Head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said: "Despite announcements by the Egyptian authorities that Rafah crossing is open, the main change that we have seen is a slight increase in the hours that the crossing is open. Rafah is only a crossing for people, it is not used - nor is it set up to be used - as a crossing for goods."

Ismail Haniyeh, the prime minister of the Hamas de facto government in Gaza, issued a statement calling for greater access at the border crossing. "The suffering of the Palestinian passengers goes on," he said. The crossing "has the capabilities to allow the easy flow of 1,000 passengers" each day.

No certainty

People wishing to leave Gaza must first register with the Palestinian Ministry of Interior. Abu Shaar's office estimates it will be the end of September before they can process the 25,000 people currently registered on the waiting list.

The restrictions on travel are not limited to Palestinians alone. Laila Noureldeen Ramez and her 13-year-old son are both Egyptian citizens who came to Gaza for two weeks in early May to visit her husband in the Rafah hospital. She is now stuck.

"I come here every morning early and wait until the end of the day," she told Al Jazeera. "And then I have to go back home."

Abdelhamid Al Bintaji, also waiting to cross, accuses Egypt of not acting in accordance with its promises. He had to postpone his flight to France for the fourth time. "I have a son in France whom I have not seen for over 10 years," he says. He was told he could leave July 10. He was still waiting on July 20.

Medical nightmare

The Rafah Crossing, given the Israeli control and lockdown of Gaza's sea and land ports, is the region's sole avenue to the outside world. Some waiting to leave are not critical medical cases and simply seek to visit family or to escape factional fighting and Israeli air bombings of the coastal strip. But due to Israel's blockade on supplies, equipment and medicines, Gaza's hospitals continue to function under severe shortages. more
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