How Gaza's Rafah crossing remains hostage to Israel's security and not Palestinian humanitarian needs

After more than 20 months of closure, the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt has been at the centre of political and humanitarian discussions.

Israeli and regional outlets reported that preparations were underway to reopen the Rafah crossing under frameworks linked to ceasefire understandings and post-war arrangements.

But the situation took a decisive turn on Tuesday morning when the Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after returning from the United States and assessing the security and political context, announced that the Rafah crossing would remain closed.

Netanyahu claimed that the closure will persist until the body of Israeli captive Ran Goili is recovered, emphasising that Israel considers the Rafah border one of its few remaining bargaining chips against Hamas.

For Gaza residents and officials, Netanyahu's announcement confirmed what many had feared: the crossing's fate is not determined by the Palestinians' humanitarian need, but merely by cold political calculations and Israeli security priorities.

Political negotiations, Palestinian scepticism

The developments coincide with a visit to Cairo by Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh and Palestinian General Intelligence Chief Majid Faraj, who met with Egypt's General Intelligence Chief, Major General Hassan Rashad.

Egyptian media reported that the talks were part of ongoing consultations to consolidate the ceasefire and discuss what has been termed the "second phase" of Gaza arrangements.

Cairo News Channel framed the discussions as part of Egypt's broader efforts to stabilise Gaza and implement elements of a US-backed post-war governance vision, in line with UN Security Council resolutions.

Meanwhile, Israel's Haaretz had previously reported that the Israeli security establishment had finalised preparations for reopening Rafah, including stringent monitoring and screening procedures for Palestinians entering or leaving Gaza.

But Netanyahu's decision underscores that any potential reopening is now contingent on political and security considerations, rather than humanitarian necessity.

A senior Palestinian official told The New Arab that while Egypt had formally informed the Palestinian leadership of Israel's initial agreement in principle to reopen the crossing, doubts remain high.

"There is a real concern that Israel will deliberately obstruct the opening by imposing unacceptable conditions during implementation," the official said.

Technical preparations in Egypt, including the deployment of 40 civilian employees from Gaza in El-Arish and around 200 security personnel, are reportedly complete.

Yet, in line with Israeli demands, employees will not wear official PA security uniforms, a symbolic measure reflecting Israel's control over the process.

Munzer al-Hayek, spokesperson for Fatah in Gaza, warned that Israel is attempting to impose a new reality at Rafah under the guise of administrative arrangements.

"These complications will inevitably restrict movement and turn Rafah into another tool of pressure," he said, emphasising that strict administrative and security measures could make the crossing symbolic rather than functional.

Hamas, for its part, signalled conditional acceptance of PA oversight of public-sector management, including in Rafah.

A Hamas official told TNA, on condition of anonymity, that Egypt has invited Palestinian factions to Cairo to discuss the second phase of Gaza arrangements, coordinating with regional and international actors.

Humanitarian toll

The humanitarian stakes of Rafah's closure remain immense. According to Gaza's government media office, nearly 20 months of Israeli blockade have prevented thousands of patients and wounded residents from travelling abroad for treatment.

Ismail Thawabta, head of the office, told TNA that about 22,000 people currently await permission to leave Gaza, including over 5,000 children.

"The closure has also disrupted aid and commercial flows. Before the war, goods entering Gaza via Egypt accounted for 36 per cent of all truck traffic, around 37,000 trucks annually, highlighting Rafah's central role in Gaza's economic survival," Thawabta said.

Political analyst Ahed Ferwana emphasised that the Rafah border has been a focal point since the beginning of the war.

"Allowing Palestinians to return through Rafah carries political implications far beyond relief measures," he told TNA.

Ferwana added that the management of the crossing will be a critical test for Gaza's next phase. "A genuine reopening could ease the blockade and reconnect Gaza to the outside world. But restrictive conditions would reproduce the crisis in another form."

For Gaza's residents, the issue is intensely personal. Many describe their lives under siege as existing inside a "large, tightly sealed prison," where more than two million people have been stripped of the right to move freely.

Ahmed al-Najjar, 45, a former employee in Gaza City, expressed fear rather than optimism.

"We are worried this is a form of forced displacement. The door may open for leaving, but under conditions that make returning impossible. Israel has never treated crossings as a human right, only as a tool of pressure," he told TNA.

Others cling to hope. Samar Abu Hasanein, 34, from Deir al-Balah, views Rafah as a lifeline for medical patients. Her brother, injured in an Israeli attack, completed all referral procedures but has been unable to travel.

"We are not thinking about politics. We want patients to get treatment. Denying care because people are besieged is indefensible," she told TNA.

Young Palestinians have also been affected by the closure. Mohammed al-Arja, 21, a university student from Rafah, had been accepted to study abroad but saw his plans collapse.

"Travel is not a luxury. It is a basic right. An entire generation is being punished," he said.

Scepticism persists among older residents. Fouad Salama, 58, from the Shati refugee camp, believes Israel may exploit Rafah to manage rather than solve Gaza's suffering.

"Netanyahu could claim conditions have improved while the real crisis drags on for years. Travel is a human right, not a favour. Today, Palestinians are denied even the right to leave and return without fear," he said.

Netanyahu's explicit linkage of Rafah's reopening to the recovery of Ran Goili and his broader disarmament demands on Hamas highlights the highly politicised nature of the crossing.

Palestinian political analysts warned that, under current conditions, even a partial reopening may reinforce Israeli leverage rather than alleviate human suffering.

As the debate over Rafah continues, Gaza's residents remain caught between fragile hope and stark fear.