The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, the territory’s main outlet to the outside world, is set to reopen next week for two-way travel after months of near-total closure during Israel’s assault, Palestinian officials said Thursday.
Ali Shaath, chairman of Gaza’s newly formed National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, said preparations are underway to resume operations at the crossing, a critical artery for humanitarian aid, medical evacuations and limited civilian movement.
The reopening would mark one of the most concrete steps yet toward easing Gaza’s isolation since the war erupted in October 2023.
“I am pleased to announce that the Rafah crossing will open next week in both directions for Palestinians in Gaza,” Shaath said while addressing a ceremony in Davos, Switzerland, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum.
He described Rafah as “a lifeline and a symbol of opportunity,” adding that its reopening signals that Gaza “is no longer closed to the future.”
The announcement coincided with the signing of the charter for the U.S.-backed “Board of Peace,” an international oversight body chaired by President Donald Trump.
The reopening of Rafah is a central pillar of Phase Two of Trump’s 20-point plan to end the Israel-Hamas war and transition Gaza toward post-conflict governance.
Rafah has been largely shuttered since fighting intensified, compounding an already severe blockade and pushing Gaza deeper into humanitarian crisis.
As Gaza’s only border crossing not directly controlled by Israel, Rafah has historically served as the primary route for patients seeking medical treatment abroad, students, aid workers and limited trade.
Under the current framework, reopening the crossing is tied to cease-fire arrangements, phased Israeli withdrawals and guarantees for aid delivery.
U.S. officials have pressed Israel in recent days to allow technocratic committee members to enter Gaza via Rafah, after initial resistance.
The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza is a 15-member, apolitical body made up of Palestinian professionals unaffiliated with Hamas.
It was formally unveiled by the White House earlier this month and tasked with restoring essential services, coordinating aid distribution, overseeing internal security and laying the groundwork for long-term reconstruction through at least 2027.
Shaath, a former Palestinian Authority deputy minister, assumed his post last week.
The committee operates under the oversight of the Board of Peace, whose mandate extends beyond Gaza to broader conflict mediation and reconstruction efforts.
Its charter commits participating states to mobilizing funding and monitoring implementation of the full peace plan, which was endorsed by the U.N. Security Council late last year.
While U.S. officials have publicly backed Shaath and the committee, skepticism remains. Some Israeli officials have raised security concerns, and Palestinian factions continue to question whether the plan meaningfully addresses long-standing political issues, including statehood. Reconstruction costs are expected to run into the tens of billions of dollars.
Still, if the reopening proceeds as planned, Rafah’s return to operation would offer rare relief to Gaza’s 2 million residents, restoring a measure of movement, accelerating aid flows and providing an early test of whether the fragile cease-fire can translate into lasting change.
