The Rafah Border Crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt opened Sunday for a day of systems checks and tests ahead of its expected opening for pedestrians Monday, Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) agency said.

While COGAT said that the crossing between Gaza and Egypt had reopened and that a “pilot is underway to test and assess the operation of the crossing,” no pedestrians would actually be able to cross the border until Monday, despite earlier statements saying pedestrians would begin crossing on Sunday.

“The movement of residents in both directions, entry and exit to and from Gaza, is expected to begin tomorrow,” said the agency, the Defense Ministry body for Palestinian civilian affairs.

COGAT said that the crossing would open for the “limited passage” of Gazan Palestinians in both directions, in accordance with the ceasefire deal. It said the so-called “pilot phase” on Sunday was being “conducted in coordination with the European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM), Egypt, and all relevant stakeholders,” and “all involved parties are carrying out a series of preliminary preparations aimed at increasing readiness for full operation of the crossing.”

“The actual passage of residents in both directions will begin upon completion of these preparations,” it added.

While no Gazans will be allowed through the border on Sunday, the crossing showed signs of life for the first time in nearly a year since it was closed last March with the collapse of a ceasefire signed in January 2025.

Palestinian security officers passed through the crossing’s Egyptian gate and headed toward the Palestinian gate to join a European Union mission that will be supervising exit and entry, said an Egyptian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to talk to the media. Ambulances also crossed through the Egyptian........

© The Times of Israel