This report was contributed by Rizek Abdel Jawad, a photojournalist from Gaza City whose work has previously been featured in these pages, documenting life in the shadow of Israel’s genocidal assault on the besieged territory. His work will be shown at an exhibition in Fredericton on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026.
In scenes that vividly illustrate the extent of their suffering, Palestinians returning to the Gaza Strip reported that women and children were subjected to harsh and degrading interrogations at the newly reopened Rafah border crossing.
They were handcuffed for extended periods and subjected to verbal abuse and repeated questioning by soldiers, including provocative questions about why they were returning to Gaza.
According to these testimonies, interrogators told the returnees that Gaza was in ruins and sarcastically asked them, “Why do you want to come back?” Personal belongings including children’s toys were confiscated.
Their testimonies indicate a systematic policy of intimidation aimed at breaking the will of the returnees and deterring them from returning to Gaza. These scenes have exacerbated the suffering of women and children already exhausted by war and displacement.
The reopening of the Rafah border crossing after more than 18 months of closure allowed only a handful of Palestinians to return to Gaza, highlighting the procedural challenges and stringent restrictions imposed on the crossing by Israel.
On Monday, February 2, the Rafah land crossing officially opened from the Palestinian side for the first time in over a year and a half, following an initial trial period on Sunday, as part of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Manal, a woman in her fifties who had traveled to Egypt for medical treatment in March 2024, was among those permitted to return.
Sitting in a wheelchair at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, Manal recounted months of waiting and anticipation.
“My longing for Gaza drove me to register immediately,” she said. “I missed my children, my grandchildren, and my home. Although the city has changed after the war, seeing my family again gave me strength.”
She described the journey as physically and emotionally exhausting. “The process was long and difficult,” Manal said. “We waited for hours in the cold, and everything was under strict surveillance.”
“The soldiers asked many questions, many of which had nothing to do with our travel or medical needs,
she added. “They even threatened to arrest our family members if we didn’t cooperate.”
She said the experience was extremely difficult, especially for elderly and sick travellers. “Being checked and interrogated while exhausted and ill was incredibly stressful. Some women cried; the fear and uncertainty were overwhelming. However, the hope of returning home gave us the courage to endure it all.”
Those who returned also reported strict restrictions on personal belongings. Each traveler was allowed only one bag of clothes.
The crossing process was described as physically and psychologically exhausting. Returnees endured long waits in cold conditions and faced complicated procedures that heightened their anxiety.
Israel seized control of the crossing after the attack on Rafah in May 2024 during the war on Gaza, effectively isolating the Gaza Strip from the outside world and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis there.
The Rafah crossing is a vital lifeline for Gaza’s residents and was used before the war for the movement of people as well as commercial goods.
Rizek Abdel Jawad is a photojournalist based in Gaza City. To see more of his work, follow him on Instagram and Facebook. He is part of the Connecting Gaza initiative, which helps families in Gaza survive. You can support them by going to www.connectinggaza.org/donate.
Updated Feb. 7, 2026.
