Palestinians displaced in Egypt wait for Gaza border to reopen

This is Islam Al Farani, 9 years old. Two years ago, Islam's life changed forever when his relatives' home was attacked by Israel. With help from a nonprofit organization, Islam and his mother, Tahrir, were evacuated to the United States via Egypt so Islam could be fitted with a prosthetic leg. The attack left physical and psychological scars on Islam. Tahrir and Islam returned to Egypt and planned to return to Gaza to reunite with the rest of their family. The father of the family was killed in another strike while Mr. Tahrir and Mr. Islam were away. However, despite the agreed ceasefire, Islam and his mother are unable to return. The only border crossing from Egypt remains closed to Palestinians attempting to enter and exit Gaza. Tahrir's six other children are in Gaza. They have been living apart for nearly a year. To talk to their mother and siblings, they go to a nearby barbershop where the internet is better. Five of Islam's six brothers were also injured in the same attack. Eight-year-old Ahmed broke both hips. Aya, 6 years old, lost sight in one eye. Muhammad, 17, is the oldest. Tens of thousands of Palestinians currently in Egypt were able to leave Gaza immediately following the Hamas-led Israeli attack on October 7, 2023. The Rafah border crossing has been largely closed since Israel occupied it in May 2024. As part of the latest cease-fire agreement, Israel agreed to reopen border crossings, but more recently said it would only allow Palestinians to return after Hamas hands over the remains of all prisoners held in Gaza. Many Palestinians say they still want to return, but some wonder what is left for them to do. Haneen Farhat fled more than a year ago and began selling Palestinian food from her small kitchen to make ends meet. She now hosts Gaza cooking classes, which are popular with locals and tourists alike and provide a steady income. However, life in Egypt is difficult for Palestinians. Their temporary Egyptian visas have expired and they now have no formal legal status. This means they cannot work formally, buy property, or attend Egyptian schools. Egypt claims that allowing a large influx of Palestinian refugees could lead to their permanent expulsion. Due to residency restrictions, some people are considering moving elsewhere. But for those who have broken up with their loved ones, there is no choice but to wait.