Gaza, MINA — Hamas on Saturday condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to keep the Rafah border crossing closed, calling it a “blatant violation” of the ceasefire agreement and a “repudiation” of commitments made to mediators, Anadolu Agency reported.
Earlier, Netanyahu’s office announced that the crossing would remain closed “until further notice,” directly violating the terms of the Gaza ceasefire deal that took effect on October 10, 2025.
The Rafah crossing was scheduled to reopen last Wednesday as part of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, which included measures to ease movement for civilians and enable humanitarian operations. However, the Israeli army has blocked Palestinian passage through the crossing since May 2024, restricting Gaza’s only access point not controlled by Tel Aviv before the war began in October 2023.
In a statement, Hamas said, “Netanyahu’s decision to prevent the reopening of the Rafah crossing until further notice constitutes a blatant breach of the ceasefire agreement and a repudiation of commitments made before mediators and guarantor parties.”
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The group warned that the continued closure would delay the evacuation of the wounded, restrict civilian movement, block the entry of specialized rescue equipment, and hinder forensic teams working to identify victims’ bodies, thereby slowing efforts to recover the remains of Israeli hostages.
Hamas also accused Israel of committing more than 47 ceasefire violations, which have resulted in 38 Palestinian deaths and 143 injuries, describing them as proof of Israel’s “aggressive intent and ongoing siege policy” against over two million residents in Gaza.
“Hamas denounces Netanyahu’s false pretexts aimed at obstructing the implementation of the agreement and evading his obligations,” the statement read, urging mediators and guarantor states to pressure Israel to reopen the crossing immediately and uphold all terms of the ceasefire.
Under the agreement, Hamas released 20 Israeli hostages alive and handed over the remains of 13 others in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The deal was part of a phased plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, which also outlines the reconstruction of Gaza and the creation of a new administrative framework without Hamas.
Also Read: Israel Commits 47 Ceasefire Violations, Killing 38 Palestinians
Since October 2023, Israel’s genocidal war has killed more than 68,100 Palestinians and injured 170,200 others, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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