Blindfolded, beaten, humiliated: How Israeli forces abused Palestinians returning to Gaza by Maha Hussaini

Under the ceasefire agreement signed in October, Israel was required to reopen the Rafah border during the first phase. 

However, Israeli officials said the border would only reopen after the return of the body of the last captive held in Gaza, which was recovered last week.

Israel eventually agreed to reopen the crossing but imposed a strict daily quota: only 50 Palestinian patients could leave Gaza, each accompanied by two people, while another 50 were allowed to return to the Strip.

Returnees were limited to Palestinians who had fled Gaza during the genocide. 

Those who left before 7 October 2023 and remained stranded abroad are still barred from returning.

As of late January, at least 30,000 Palestinians had registered with the Palestinian Embassy in Cairo to return to Gaza, according to an embassy official.

Under Israel’s quota, even if the border operated six days a week, allowing 50 people per day, it would take just short of two years for those in Cairo alone to return. Tens of thousands more remain stranded in other countries.

On the first day of the reopening, 42 people were supposed to return. 

However, 30 of them were turned back, but it remains unclear who sent them back or where they are now.