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Since the beginning of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, and until the closure of the Rafah border crossing in May 2024, around 100,000 Palestinians — approximately 4 percent of Gaza’s population — have been displaced to Egypt. Some were forced to leave to receive medical treatment or continue their education after the Israeli war destroyed most schools and hospitals in the Strip, while others left in search of safety. Most of those families thought that their stay in Egypt wouldn’t last for too long; however, the war lasted for two years, and during that period, the future of returning to Gaza remained unknown for those families.

The ceasefire that came into effect in October 2025 included, in its first phase, reopening the Rafah crossing in both directions and allowing Gazans stranded in Egypt to return. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu halted the implementation of this step, citing delays in the return of hostages. He agreed only to open the Rafah crossing in one direction — allowing Gaza residents toleave the Strip while preventing those stranded in Egypt from entering Gaza. Egypt rejected this proposal, considering it a clear violation of the ceasefire plan brokered by Donald Trump.

Following Netanyahu’s visit to the U.S. on December 29, which included talks focused on the next phase of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, a U.S. official told The Times of Israel that the Trump administration expects Israel to reopen the Rafah crossing in the coming days, allowing Gaza residents to enter and exit. The official added that the U.S. president and his........

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