IN NEWS: Rafah Crossing : Only Way Out From Gaza Blown Up As Palestinians Gather To Flee
- Egypt has opened the borders for UN humanitarian aid for Palestinians.
What is the Rafah crossing?
- It’s the southernmost point of exit from Gaza and borders Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
- There are only two other border crossings from and into the Gaza Strip: Erez, a crossing for people with Israel in northern Gaza, and Kerem Shalom, a solely commercial goods junction with Israel in southern Gaza.
- It is a narrow slither of land that is home to 2.3 million people and wedged between Israel, Egypt, and the Mediterranean Sea.
- That means the only likely route for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza is via Rafah from Egypt’s Sinai region.
- Foreign passport holders are expected to be allowed out under any deal to reopen the crossing and have therefore headed in recent days to the vicinity, seeking to exit.
- Israel has also called on Gazans to move southwards closer to Rafah to shelter from bombardment, although residents say they cannot find safety anywhere in the crowded enclave.