EU restarts border crossing monitoring between Gaza and Egypt
The EU has restarted its monitoring of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, reported by Reuters on February 1st.
The civilian mission by the EU will return to the Rafah border crossing for the first time since May 2024 to support Palestinian border personnel and allow the transfer of individuals out of Gaza, according to Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief.
The crossing will initially be opened for “50 injured militants and 50 wounded civilians, along with the people escorting them, the officials said, adding that a further 100 people, most likely students, would be allowed through on humanitarian grounds,” according to Reuters.
The EU Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) could play a “decisive role” in supporting the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas which went into effect on January 19th and saw the release of some Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian detainees held in Israel.
The Gaza health ministry has said the transportation of patients would be coordinated with the World Health Organization and the mission has stated people will only be allowed to travel in one direction, from Gaza to Egypt.
The EU’s civilian mission is made up of personnel from Spain, Italy, and France, with the Germans also discussing sending a contingent to assist.
The mission was agreed upon in 2005 but suspended in June 2007 after the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip and their blacklisting as a terrorist organization by the EU and other western states.
The primary objective of the current mission to “to coordinate and facilitate the daily transit of up to 300 injured and ill individuals, ensuring assistance and protection for vulnerable people in a humanitarian emergency context” according to the Italian Ministries.
Whilst this is both a civilian and humanitarian mission, there is rising pressure on Hamas as the new Trump administration tells Egypt of its plans to topple Hamas, as well as sources reporting of the Palestinian Authority’s willingness to ‘clash’ with Hamas for control of Gaza.
Reuters, Maghrebi
