European Union Border Assistance Mission for the Rafah Crossing Point

The European Union Border Assistance Mission at the Rafah Crossing Point (EU BAM Rafah) was the EU's second Civilian Crisis Management Mission in the Palestinian territories, the other being the European Union Police Mission for the Gaza Strip (EU COPPS).

The Mission was launched on 24 November 2005 to monitor operations at the Rafah Border Crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, in accordance with the Agreed Principles for Rafah Crossing of 15 November 2005, part of the Agreement on Movement and Access (AMA), concluded by Israel and the Palestinian Authority. When the Mission was first deployed, it consisted of roughly 70 personnel including a special security team.

On 13 June 2007, following the Hamas take over in the Gaza Strip, the EU BAM Head of Mission declared a temporary suspension of operations at the Crossing because the Palestinian Authority could not provide security for the EU monitors. During the 19 months while the EU monitors were present at the terminal (i.e., from the end of November 2005 until June 2007), a total of nearly 450,000 persons used the crossing, with an average of about 1,500 people a day. Since 2007, the European Union has had a policy of no contact with Hamas.