After months of silence at Gaza’s southern gate, a small group of Palestinians crossed back into the Strip on Monday evening as the Rafah crossing resumed limited operations. A single bus reached Khan Younis under heavy surveillance, marking a cautious and tightly managed return that offered little clarity for those still waiting on either side of the border.

Only a handful of people were permitted through on the first day, underscoring how restricted the process remains. Those arriving described long hours of checks and uncertainty, with movement governed by opaque procedures imposed in the shadow of a continuing genocidal war. Families hoping the reopening would ease separation instead found that travel was still treated as an exception rather than a right.

One elderly woman recounted being stopped en route by a local armed group, then transferred to Israeli forces for questioning before being allowed to continue. Her account reflects a broader reality in which civilians are subjected to multiple layers of control, interrogation and delay simply to return to their homes.

The crossing had been sealed for nearly two years following the takeover of Rafah, cutting off Gaza’s main link to Egypt. Its partial reopening, announced without clear guidelines, has raised more questions than answers. For many Palestinians, the moment symbolised not relief but the persistence of a system that regulates movement through force and fear amid an ongoing genocidal war.