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TRANSCRIPT
At Al-Aqsa Hospital's kidney dialysis unit, Moustafa Abdel Hadi is hooked up to a machine which does the work his kidneys can't.
He has been approved for a transplant that can only happen if the border is re-opened.
"We don't have the resources to be treated in Gaza, we have to go outside in order to get the treatment."
Mr Abdel Hadi is just one of the 20,000 Palestinians that local health authorities say need to leave Gaza for urgent medical care.
Before the war, the Rafah border crossing with Egypt was the only direct exit point for most Palestinians in Gaza to reach the outside world as well as a key entry point for aid into the territory.
It has been largely shut since May 2024.
Little wonder then that for student Hudaia Al-Atawneh the border crossing is a gateway to a better future.
"The war destroyed everything, and we are waiting for the Rafah crossing to open. The war did not only destroy our homes and families, it destroyed our future, and there is no future in Gaza."
On Sunday, there were signs of life at the border, Israel conducting a 'trial run' testing technical and security systems.
Ambulances lined up, and people too, who were hoping to leave - though only a limited number could cross during the test.
The Israeli military unit that oversees humanitarian coordination, COGAT, has said the crossing will reopen in both directions for Gaza residents.
COGAT says its operation will be coordinated with Egypt and the European Union.
Any arrivals will face security checks, vetted against lists approved by Israeli authorities.
Prime Minister Benajmin Netanyahu says around 50 patients a day will be allowed to leave, while another 50 people who fled Gaza when the conflict escalated can return per day, all on-foot.
The limit on people leaving and returning Gaza has been criticised by Palestinians like Suhaila al-Astal.
"We are not happy with the crossing being open in such a way. We want a large number of people to be able to leave, for it to be open so that ill people can come and go."
