GAZA CITY — The Rafah border crossing with Egypt is set to reopen in the coming days, offering a critical lifeline for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as the U.S.-brokered ceasefire moves forward after months of stalls.
Residents of the devastated enclave described desperate conditions this week, expressing hope that the reopening and the second phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal will bring relief after more than two years of conflict.
Samir Abu Daqa, 51, from Khan Younis in southern Gaza, stood before a makeshift tent with his five young children and described the severity of what he faces. Injured during the war and unable to work, he said: "We want reconstruction, we want a life, we want schools, we want medical treatment, we want hospitals."
Hundreds of thousands of families across Gaza have endured the first phase of the ceasefire in such tents, which offer little protection from cold and heavy rains that have flooded camp sites. Israeli strikes have also continued despite the truce.
Duaa Basem Al-Masri, a 26-year-old pharmacist from Beit Hanoun, said she hopes the crossing opens soon so Palestinians can travel freely and reunite with family members displaced outside Gaza. She also called for the entry of "medical aid, medicines and proper shelter equipment into the strip, to ease the suffering."
The remains of Ran Gvili, a 24-year-old police officer and the last hostage held by Hamas in Gaza, were returned to Israel on Monday, completing a key obligation under the truce, which had faced tensions over delays and accusations of violations.
Israel is now expected to fulfill its promise to at least partially reopen the Rafah crossing, Palestinians' primary gateway to the outside world.
The second stage of the truce faces a significant hurdle in the disarmament of Hamas. Nickolay Mladenov, the top diplomat overseeing the ceasefire, said the next steps in implementing the deal are stalled over the issue.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the challenge in a speech Tuesday evening, saying his government remains focused on completing "two remaining missions: The disarming of Hamas and the demilitarization of Gaza from weapons and tunnels." He added: "It will be done either the easy way or the hard way. But in any case, it will happen."
Phase Two also includes the development of an international security force, backed by President Donald Trump, to oversee stability in Gaza.
Hamas announced Monday its decision to dissolve its government in Gaza, a move observers see as an effort to pressure Israel as negotiations over the next phase continue.
The ceasefire took effect nearly four months ago, but the transition to its second stage was delayed after Hamas struggled to fulfill its initial obligations.
