A fleet of yellow Mercedes taxis stretches out outside the newly opened Rafah Gaza into Egypt, re-polished and ready to be rolled, but with no idea how long.
Uncertainty is a fact of life in the Palestinian border town, where 4,500 people have entered Egypt in the two weeks since one of Gaza’s few rescue lines appeared to the open world on Feb . 9.
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Members of Palestinian security forces patrol as a taxi carrying passengers reaches the Rafah border gateway with Egypt, in the southern Gaza Strip
(Photo: Reuters)
The opening eased the year-long ban imposed by Israel and Egypt on the coastal strip, exacerbated by measures that either side stopped the release of COVID-19.
It arose from a political movement: mediation talks with an Egyptian rift between rival Palestinian groups to pave the way for elections.
But passengers have no idea how long the gate will remain open.
“For me, the Rafah crossing is my living store. If it opens, I live, and I eat and buy clothes,” said Saif Rusrus, 21, who left school to sell pastries there. “As long as there are controversies, the crossroads will continue to open and close.”
Israel and Egypt are citing security concerns for the restrictions, indicating that Gaza is under the control of the Islamic militant group Hamas.
Both countries allow travel for thousands of workers and humanitarian issues each year, but most of Gaza’s two million Palestinians cannot leave.
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A Palestinian boy looks out the window of a car as he waits to leave Gaza with his family through Rafah’s borders
(Photo: Reuters)
“Gaza turns into a huge prison when the Rafah intersection is closed,” hepatitis patient Uday Zaanin, 38, said while waiting to board the bus.
Meanwhile, the IDF announced on Thursday that all access to Israel from the Gaza Strip will be closed due to Thursday until the night between Sunday and Monday pending a review of the security and health conditions in Israel and the Strip.