Israel on Sunday local time said it had partially reopened the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt under a limited pilot arrangement, the first such step since Israeli forces took control of the crossing in May last year, according to Al Jazeera. Israeli officials said the crossing has been opened on a trial basis to allow restricted movement of Gaza residents. The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories said preparations are being made to expand operations, with residents expected to start passing through from Monday. The agency said the move follows the ceasefire agreement and political directives, allowing limited civilian passage only.

The Israeli army said it has completed a dedicated screening facility to process Palestinians entering and leaving Gaza through Rafah. The crossing had been largely shut for months during Israel’s extended military offensive. Gaza’s Government Media Office said thousands of displaced Palestinians are waiting to return. Its director Ismail al-Thawabta told Al Jazeera that about 80,000 people who left Gaza during the war are seeking re entry.

Separately, Israel said it would end the operations of Doctors Without Borders in Gaza, accusing the group of not providing required information about its Palestinian staff. The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism said the requirement applies to all humanitarian groups. In December, Israeli authorities announced plans to block 37 aid organisations from working in Gaza from March 1 over similar issues, a decision criticised by aid groups and the United Nations.

Israeli military action continued across Gaza. A drone strike on Sunday killed one person in northwest Rafah, medical sources said, identifying the victim as 63 year old Khaled Hammad Ahmed Dahleez. Another drone attack in the Wadi Gaza area of central Gaza also killed one Palestinian. These incidents followed Israeli air raids on Saturday that reportedly killed at least 31 people in northern and southern Gaza. Palestinian authorities say at least 511 people have been killed and more than 1,400 injured since the US backed ceasefire began on October 10.

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