Displaced Palestinians in Egypt expressed hope of reuniting with loved ones after news of the Rafah border reopening, with the chance to reunite with family stirring both hope and painful memories of the war that tore them apart.
Egyptian authorities said tens of thousands of Palestinians have registered for two-way travel through the Rafah border crossing, though the permitted number of daily trips remains unknown.
Nearly a year has passed since Omar Zerib and his wife Hanin escaped the Israeli bombardment of Gaza. Now settled in Al Arish, Egypt, Omar remembers with vivid clarity the day the onslaught began.
"I used to own a piece of land, that's where I worked from morning to night. On the morning of Oct 7, when we arrived at the land, we could see rockets flying everywhere. My neighbor was shot dead about 100 meters from where I was standing. His family were all martyred. I collected their remains myself to bury them," he said.
In May 2025, the couple got approval to accompany Zerib's critically ill parents for treatment to Egypt, leaving behind several family members.
"Contacting our relatives in Gaza is extremely difficult. It's nearly impossible because of internet and phone disruptions. Maybe every 10 to 15 days we would be able to contact," Zerib said.
Seeking treatment in Egypt, kidney patient Yasser Mahmoud longs for his sister to join him from Gaza once the border reopens. The war has already taken his son, a loss that shadows his family's flight from home.
"My son was martyred, my house was destroyed, the future of my children is unknown. All that we had been building is suddenly gone. In a minute. Everything just went away," he said.
For Mahmoud, the border offers a chance to reunite with his sister and children in Egypt. For Zerib, it is a path back to Gaza, where he dreams of rebuilding the life that was torn apart.
Displaced Palestinians eager to reunite with families amid Rafah border reopening
