Inside the Rafah Crossing Point: Reflections on a Border Assistance Mission in a High-Risk Environment

With EUBAM Rafah ready for redeployment at the Rafah Crossing Point, Captain Sangiao recalls the challenges, daily realities and human stories that defined his mission from 31 January to 17 March 2025.

Deployed by Spain’s Guardia Civil under the European Gendarmerie Force (EUROGENDFOR), EUBAM Rafah’s Specialised Teams – including border and security personnel from the Italian Carabinieri and the French Gendarmerie Nationale - operated amid shifting security conditions, logistical hurdles, and urgent humanitarian needs. Acting as a neutral third party under the mission’s border assistance mandate, they facilitated the passage of nearly 4,200 passengers, including 1,700 medical evacuees, arriving in Egypt.

A Mission Defined by Urgency

“The deployment began under intense time pressure,” Captain Sangio recalls. “After assembling in Vicenza on 26 January, we had just two days to prepare before flying to the region on an Italian Air Force aircraft. We barely had time to train or even meet properly.”

Upon arrival, the team was immediately tasked with designing security protocols for the Rafah Crossing Point (RCP) and coordinating with the Palestinian Border Authorities, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and UN partners, an accelerated start to a complex assignment.

Daily Operations on the Front Line 

Days began at 6:00 a.m., first in Beer Sheba and later in Ashkelon, followed by a stop at an Israeli military base to collect protective gear before heading in a convoy to the RCP. On site, security teams cleared the area as border experts took up positions at checkpoints and scanner rooms to verify documents, confirm identities, and manage the flow of passengers.

“Each day, around 14 personnel were involved: border experts, security staff, and EUBAM Rafah personnel,” Captain Sangio explains. “WHO convoys brought in patients and relatives, who were then transferred by Palestinian ambulances through the RCP.”

Security Pressures in a Volatile Zone 

The teams operated inside a highly unstable buffer zone. Daily clashes and occasional mortar alerts struck as close as 200 meters from the crossing. Multiple evacuation procedures were drafted, ranging from responses to direct fire to managing crowd surges though none ultimately had to be activated.

Human Moments That Stay With You 

While the mission was not humanitarian by mandate, its human dimension was impossible to ignore. Team members met injured children, anxious parents, and exhausted families making their way across gravel paths between checkpoints.

One memory remains particularly vivid for Captain Sangio. “A six-year-old girl, dehydrated after the lengthy journey, was given a bottle of water. She kissed my hand. She was so grateful… I will never forget it.”

Despite such moments, strict professionalism was essential. Everyone, and every bag, had to be thoroughly screened, as vulnerable civilians could be moving alongside individuals linked to armed groups.

Adapting on the Ground

To prevent bottlenecks, golf carts were introduced to transport severely injured passengers along the roughly 500-meter route inside the RCP. Other measures improved both safety and comfort: starting operations earlier to avoid extreme heat, expanding shaded areas, and repositioning T-walls to shield passengers and staff from potential fire. 

A Mission Defined by Professionalism and Resilience 

Despite fluctuating risks and the emotional strain of the environment, Captain Sangio highlights three qualities that carried the mission forward: professionalism, teamwork, and resilience. These enabled EUBAM Rafah’s Specialised Teams to support the Palestinian Border Authorities and ensured a secure, orderly passage for those crossing.

After nine months with EUBAM Rafah, Captain Sangio and his Guardia Civil team concluded their deployment, leaving behind strengthened procedures, lasting memories, and a smooth handover to successors continuing the mission at the RCP.

For their outstanding performance, the team was awarded the prestigious Guardia Civil’s 2025 Award and was received in a private audience by Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican.