Hamas Prevents Gazan Contractors From Entering IDF Area to Rebuild Rafah

Hamas is blocking Gazan contractors from crossing into an Israeli-controlled section of Rafah to carry out rebuilding projects, according to a report. Militants stopped workers who had arrived from several parts of the Gaza Strip and threatened them at gunpoint to prevent passage across the designated line.

The contractors were turned away by force and did not reach the work site. The measure affects initial efforts to restore infrastructure in the southern Gaza city, which has seen extensive damage during the ongoing conflict.

Rafah, located in southern Gaza near the border with Egypt, was the site of intense fighting in the months following the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. Much of the city's buildings and roads were destroyed. Israeli forces have maintained a presence in parts of the area, referred to in the report as territory beyond the Yellow Line.

Local workers had been expected to begin clearing rubble and starting reconstruction in the IDF-controlled zone. The prevention of their movement halts that process for the time being. No immediate statement was available from Hamas regarding the reported action.

Photographs from nearby Khan Yunis show young Palestinian workers breaking up concrete amid rubble, illustrating the scale of destruction across the Strip and the labor available for rebuilding. The latest incident adds a layer of internal restriction on movement and employment inside Gaza at a time when many residents face limited economic opportunities.

The report does not specify how many contractors were involved or whether alternative arrangements for the work are under consideration.