(GAZA) With Rafah mostly closed since May 2024, Gazans who already hold foreign visas are again being routed through Israel’s Erez Crossing in a narrow set of cases that Israeli and Gaza authorities label humanitarian or exceptional. Travel depends on two approvals: an exit permit from Hamas authorities inside Gaza and an Israeli entry permit for the crossing itself, issued through the Israel Defense Forces system. Students, athletes and a limited number of merchants may qualify alongside medical patients, but most residents remain barred from routine movement abroad. Even families say the process can take weeks and often ends without reasons.
Role of Erez when Rafah is closed
Erez is the only pedestrian route between Gaza and Israel, and when Rafah is unavailable it becomes the main land channel for people trying to reach airports and consulates outside the territory.
- Before 2000, more than 26,000 crossings per day were recorded — a level now unimaginable under the long-running blockade and security screening.
- After Hamas took over Gaza in 2007, volumes dropped sharply; in 2008 the crossing averaged 2,175 exits a month (according to the source material).
- Following ceasefires later, the monthly number rose to 15,000 by 2015, still far below pre-2000 levels.
The two-permit system (how it works)
To leave, applicants must receive two separate approvals:
- Exit permit from Hamas (Gaza-side clearance) — controls who may approach/exit the crossing.
- Entry permit from Israel (allows entry into Israel for transit) — issued through the Israel Defense Forces system, typically processed via the Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT). COGAT posts contact info and guidance at cogat.il.
Requirements at Erez:
– Travelers must present passports, valid visas, and any Israeli-issued immigration slips.
– Israel says it prioritizes medical treatment cases, but approves some students and a small number of traders/workers.
The two-permit system leaves many people stuck between separate authorities; a visa alone often cannot be used without both Gaza and Israeli permits.
Approval limitations and uncertainty
- Approvals do not create a general right to travel; each request is reviewed case by case and can be rejected after security checks without public explanation.
- Israel has approved some traders and workers, but the source material stresses medical travel is the main priority, with smaller channels for education and sports.
- Analysis by VisaVerge.com highlights that the layered process leaves many people stranded, especially when scholarship start dates or tournament schedules cannot shift.
- For many families, uncertainty can turn an overseas visa into a document that cannot be used in practice.
Onward routing constraints and practical impacts
Even for those cleared at Erez Crossing, onward routing is tightly constrained:
- Gazans cannot easily reach the West Bank or use the Allenby Bridge into Jordan — routes commonly used by other Palestinians.
- Israel issues only about 20 permits weekly for transit through Ben-Gurion Airport.
- Permits for Ben-Gurion come with a strict condition: the traveler must re-enter Gaza through Erez within 24 hours.
- That short window makes airline delays, missed connections or embassy appointments risky, because failure to return on time can jeopardize future entry permits.
- Applicants describe the rules as turning trips into high-stress races.
Recent numbers and policy context
- In December 2019, 2,500 Gazans entered Israel via Erez — a small fraction of pre-2000 daily totals but indicative of more regular passage compared with recent years.
- Late 2025 restrictions remained in place; the material says there were no major policy changes after the October 2025 ceasefire phases.
- With Rafah mostly closed, Erez stays central for the small group with visas, while travel remains a privilege granted by permits. Those without medical files or special invitations often do not even apply.
Rules for specific nationality groups
- U.S. citizens living in Gaza:
- As of Jan 1, 2025, U.S.-Gaza residents can use U.S. passports to enter or transit Israel for up to 90 days without a visa, but they still need the electronic travel authorization ETA-IL.
- They cannot use ETA-IL status to return to Gaza without the Gaza and Israeli permits tied to Erez.
- Palestinian-Americans are listed as needing an ETA-IL permit before entry, submitted through Israeli channels.
- In practice, families say the U.S. passport helps abroad, but not at home.
- Dual nationals (example: British-Palestinian citizens):
- Face additional limits and quotas at Erez for medical or humanitarian exits.
- Israeli decisions are final once security screening is complete, leaving travelers with little recourse if a foreign embassy has issued a visa but the entry permit is denied.
Day-of-travel fragility and logistics
For travelers who do get approvals, the day of movement can still be fragile:
- Direct transit to Gaza is prohibited for most people; even those entering Israel legally cannot continue into Gaza unless paperwork explicitly permits it.
- At Erez, Israeli authorities manage entry and identification, while the Gaza side controls who may exit and later re-enter.
- Applicants often coordinate through intermediaries and must keep original passports and visas ready.
- Because decisions are based on security reviews, families often learn outcomes late, complicating hotel bookings and onward flights for work or study.
Practical advice and final observations
- People in Gaza who hold visas for Europe, North America or elsewhere often describe the permit search as a second application process layered on top of consular paperwork.
- The source advises applicants to contact Palestinian or Israeli authorities directly because approvals are handled individually, and it stresses that security reviews drive many decisions.
For now, the Erez Crossing remains the main route when Rafah cannot be used, but it operates as a gate with narrow openings rather than a border terminal. Until exit permit and entry permit systems become broader, overseas opportunities will remain out of reach for most Gazans.
With Rafah largely closed since May 2024, the Erez Crossing functions as Gaza’s main exceptional land route. Travelers require two clearances: a Gaza-issued exit permit and an Israeli entry permit issued through the IDF/COGAT. Medical patients get priority; students, athletes and a few merchants may qualify. Onward travel is tightly constrained — roughly 20 weekly permits for Ben-Gurion require re-entry to Gaza within 24 hours — and many requests face delays or unexplained denials.
