RAFAH, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), The United Nations said it welcomed the reopening of the Rafah Crossing and stressed the need to facilitate the safe and voluntary movement of civilians in and out of Gaza in line with international law.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Monday that adequate humanitarian supplies must be allowed into Gaza with reduced obstacles at Rafah and other crossings.
For his part, Ramiz Alakbarov, the UN resident coordinator in the occupied Palestinian territory, described the reopening of Rafah Crossing in both directions as an important step consistent with the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, while calling for expanded and sustained humanitarian access.
The World Health Organization said it is supporting medical evacuation efforts, with patients transferred to Egypt via Rafah and others routed through the Karm Abu Salem crossing, which remains under Israeli control.
Dujarric said UN agencies had carried out advance assessments of roads and evacuation routes, noting that the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has established a reception area at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, providing psychosocial support, protection services, food, information, and internet access for returnees.
The UN also expressed concern over continued Israeli air strikes and reports of civilian deaths in Gaza over the past two days, underscoring the urgency of ensuring unhindered humanitarian access.
Rafah remains the only crossing for civilian movement between Gaza and Egypt and a critical lifeline amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis following Israel’s genocide against the Gaza Strip.
