Rafah Crossing reopens for wounded Palestinians, foreign nationals

New Delhi, Nov 1: Egyptian ambulances carrying wounded individuals from Gaza have entered Egypt through the Rafah crossing today. The first group of patients, consisting of around 90 critical cases and injured Palestinians, have been transported to a makeshift hospital in Egypt.

Egyptian ambulances crossed the border and returned with the injured individuals, and this process is ongoing. Egypt has established field hospitals near the Rafah border crossing in Sheikh Zuweid, intended to provide medical treatment to those crossing from Gaza.

Furthermore, as part of the arrangement, around 500 foreign nationals or dual citizenship holders will be permitted to cross the border daily. Among those leaving Gaza are citizens of Jordan, Austria, Japan, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Australia, and two British nationals, who are listed separately as NGO workers.

This development follows negotiations brokered by Qatar, which has been facilitating talks between Egypt, Israel, and Hamas, with the coordination of the United States. Initially, the deal allowed critically injured individuals and some foreign passport holders to exit the Gaza Strip. Qatar also hosts a political office for Hamas, which has been in Doha since 2012.

This marks the first time that the Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt has been opened for Palestinian-injured patients, and approximately 500 foreign nationals will be allowed to leave Gaza daily.

When the first ambulances arrived from Egypt just after noon, a large crowd expressed relief, as many anxious people had gathered at the gates since morning. Reports indicate that Gaza authorities have registered around 7,000 individuals with dual nationality or foreign status in Gaza. The reopening of the crossing is a significant development as it had been entirely closed since October 7, when shelling, airstrikes, and violence began and Gazians were completely besieged.

Gaza Suffers Communication Blackout as Violence Continues

Gaza, a complete outage of phone and internet services has plunged the region into communication darkness. Paltel, Gaza's largest telecommunications provider, has reported a widespread breakdown of internet and phone networks, marking the second such blackout in the past week.

Meanwhile, Israel has confirmed the loss of 11 soldiers in ground fighting in Gaza on Tuesday, bringing the total number of Israeli military personnel casualties since October 7 to 326. Israel maintains a public record of military losses on its website, and the 11 soldiers who perished in the recent clashes ranged in age from 19 to 24.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged the difficult nature of the ongoing conflict, stating, "We are in a difficult war. It will be a long war. We have important achievements in it, but also painful losses."

Simultaneously, Israel continues its aerial bombardment of Gaza, with over 11,000 targets struck since the conflict's inception. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has released updates indicating that these strikes have primarily targeted Hamas organizations within the Gaza Strip.

The IDF reported that its troops identified attackers in the Jabalia neighbourhood, situated near a school, medical centre, and government offices within a multi-storey building. Consequently, Israeli air forces were directed to launch an airstrike in response.

Earlier, the IDF had declared that a strike in Jabaliya had eliminated a senior Hamas commander and caused the collapse of Hamas's underground infrastructure. Tragically, numerous casualties, including children, were reported at a location within a refugee camp.

Jabalia Refugee Camp in Gaza witnessed an incident as a powerful series of explosions rocked the northern region, usually considered a safe area where Palestinians were asked to shift from south to North by advancing Israeli ground troops resulting in the death of scores of civilians and damaging many buildings.  The series of explosions, which occurred within the vicinity of the camp, left a trail of casualties, including both deaths and injuries including women and children.

Gaza's health ministry estimates that more than 8,500 individuals have lost their lives since Israel initiated its intensive bombardment of the territory. This devastating conflict began with the October 7 attacks, resulting in 1,400 fatalities and 239 individuals taken as hostages from Israel.