Egyptian authorities opened the Rafah border with Gaza strip Monday morning, allowing Palestinian pilgrims and people trapped in or outside to be able to travel across the border.

According to Gaza’s Borders and Crossing Committee, the crossing will remain open for four days.
Around 2,500 Gaza citizens are heading to Saudi Arabia to attempt pilgrimage in Mecca this year, while 800 are expected to go through Monday alone.
The blockade of the Gaza Strip has been going on for over a decade, with the Egyptian border remaining the only lifeline for residents in Gaza strip.
The border was under Israeli control till 2005 and remained open partially until 2006, before being completely closed in 2007.
After the Egyptian revolution leading Mohammed Morsi to presidency, the border was opened in 2011, and back to being completely closed in 2013 after the military revolution putting Abd Al fattah al Sisi in charge.
Despite an order by Egyptian President Abd Al Fattah al Sisi, for Rafah to be opened twice a month, the border crossing does not open regularly. According to United Nations, the border was open in 2015 for only 21 days. The crossing was last opened more than three months ago, in May.
Due to the border closing against food exports and imports, Gaza residents have suffered from some of the highest unemployment rates in the world, leading to extreme poverty.
Additionally, the imposed policies of cutting electricity and reducing medical referrals by Palestinian Authority have severely impacted residents’ daily life.
In 2012, the UN warned that Gaza could become uninhabitable by 2020.