Rafah crossing opens but only small numbers of people are being allowed through
The World
PRX
4.6 • 943 Ratings
🗓️ 2 February 2026
⏱️ 50 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The Rafah Crossing between Gaza and Egypt is now open, after being closed for nearly two years. But only small numbers of people are being allowed through, despite thousands of Palestinians in Gaza needing medical care. Also, the story of one woman fighting for her village’s future as rising sea levels force residents along Mexico's Gulf Coast to flee their homes. And, Spain's Carlos Alcaraz becomes the youngest player ever to complete a Grand Slam at the Australian Open over the weekend. Plus, "Caetano and Bethania: Live" wins the Grammy for Best Global Music Album.
Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choicesTranscript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | A crucial border crossing for Palestinians traveling in and out of Gaza opens. |
| 0:10.1 | It was hoped that 50 people would be allowed to cross. |
| 0:13.1 | This number is not really realistic and it's not what is needed. |
| 0:18.4 | Thousands of medical patients remain on a list to leave Gaza. |
| 0:21.6 | I'm Carolyn Beeler. |
| 0:23.6 | And I'm Marco Wurman. |
| 0:24.6 | What reopening the Rafa border crossing means for people in Gaza? |
| 0:27.6 | Also in Cambodia, coastal communities want to stop commercial fishing boats from operating nearby. |
| 0:32.6 | Industrial trawlers were coming into the community fishery at night, dragging up loads of fish and other marine life. |
| 0:39.2 | Bad Bunny wins big at the Grammys. His music is also being studied in college classrooms. |
| 0:44.6 | This album allows us to sit down and focus on Puerto Rico, a place that most of my students don't |
| 0:51.2 | fully understand. All ahead today here on the world. |
| 0:58.6 | This is the world. I'm Marco Wormann. And I'm Carolyn Beeler. Thank you for joining us today. |
| 1:03.7 | We begin in Rafah, the city in the Gaza Strip where the border crossing between Egypt and Gaza is now |
| 1:09.9 | beginning to reopen, at least in a limited |
| 1:12.5 | capacity. A Palestinian official today called the development a genuine window of hope. |
| 1:18.6 | It was exactly that for Randa Abu Mustafa from Khan Yunus. She says her teenage son was injured by |
| 1:25.2 | shelling a year and a half ago and that he needs to get out of Gaza to get medical care. |
| 1:34.0 | Thank God the border crossing is open, she says. |
| 1:37.0 | Later, we heard from a producer in Gaza that Abu Mustafa and her son were able to leave Gaza |
| 1:42.5 | through the Rafa border crossing. Israeli troops took |
| 1:45.7 | control of the border terminal back in May of 2024. Since then, it has been mostly closed. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from PRX, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of PRX and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.