Gazan Returnees Expose Security Struggles at Rafah Crossing

Fri Mar 06 2026 13:02:09 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Returnees through the Rafah crossing reveal experiences with checks by a Palestinian militia, highlighting tensions and complications in the coordination of border security.

Following the reopening of the Rafah crossing with Egypt, Gazan returnees reported security checks conducted by the Abu Shabab militia at an Israeli checkpoint. Women's accounts reveal a controversial partnership between local militia and Israeli forces, raising concerns about safety and treatment at the crossing. Only 12 individuals were allowed to cross from Egypt, despite many needing urgent medical attention, showcasing the complexities surrounding the situation in Gaza.

Two Gazan women who passed through the newly reopened Rafah crossing with Egypt have described their ordeal involving checks conducted by a local Palestinian militia linked to Israel. Lamia Rabia, traveling with her children, recounted being guided by Israeli forces to a nearby checkpoint where members of the Abu Shabab militia searched them and their belongings.

There was a woman from the Abu Shabab group who conducted the searches on the women, she recounted. They didn't speak with us, they only searched us and then we went to the Israelis, who questioned us. Upon inquiry, it was revealed that the militia and Israeli personnel were working together at this checkpoint.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) declined to comment on these assertions when asked by the BBC, as did Israel's internal security agency, Shin Bet. The Abu Shabab militia is known for opposing Hamas and is believed to receive arms and support from Israel, operating in areas under Israeli military oversight.

While security checks were reportedly conducted in a controlled manner, one woman expressed having been mistreated, alleging strip searches and physical abuse by the militia, although Rabia described her experience as relatively straightforward and negative-free.

Following these difficult security experiences, EU officials at the crossing began voicing concerns over the treatment of returnees, with reports mentioning that confiscations of personal belongings, including essential items like medicines and electronics, were commonplace.

Complicating the situation further, only 12 individuals made it across the Rafah border that day despite the prior screening of their names for travel. Subsequent reports indicate a growing backlog of patients in need of medical evacuations, with approximately 20,000 awaiting urgent care.

The recent reopening of Rafah has thus become a focal point of contention, drawing criticism of the logistical and humanitarian challenges persisting within the Gaza region. The operation's viability will be continually tested as local governing bodies assert their roles amid Israel’s plans for administrative restructuring in Gaza.