Egypt/Palestinian Terr.: Rafah border crossing closed June 4 /update 2

Event

Egyptian authorities closed the Rafah border crossing on Monday, June 4. According to Rafah border authorities, the crossing was closed due to a fault in communications cables on the Egyptian side of the border. It is unclear if and when the border crossing point will reopen.

Context

Previously, on May 17, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced that the Rafah border crossing would remain open through the month of Ramadan (through mid-June) to "alleviate the suffering" of Palestinians in the territory.

In October 2017, the Hamas and Fatah groups signed a reconciliation agreement, with Hamas ceding control of the Gazan side of the Rafah crossing to the Palestinian Authority (PA). Egyptian authorities typically open the crossing for a few days at a time, for a total of a few dozen days per year.

Advice

Individuals are advised against travel to the Gaza Strip due to the difficulties of exiting the territory, the high risk of terrorism, the recurrent eruptions of violence between Palestinians and Israeli security forces, and the poor living conditions on the ground. Individuals in Israel are advised to avoid the area near the Gazan border due to the recent clashes between Palestinian protesters and IDF personnel along the border and the frequent launching of rockets from the territory.

Due to the prevailing threat of terrorism, individuals throughout Egypt should report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities and always be on guard when visiting sites deemed particularly vulnerable to an attack (e.g. public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, markets, hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners/Westerners, festivals, etc.). Some governments advise their nationals against all travel to the Sinai Peninsula due to the persistent terrorist threat.