Israel, Egypt in Talks to Reopen Rafah Border Crossing Amid Gaza Ceasefire

Cairo, MINA – Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Thursday that the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt is expected to reopen on Sunday, according to a report by the daily Yedioth Ahronoth.

Saar stated that preparations were underway to reopen the crossing in the coming days, though he provided no additional details.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty confirmed that Cairo was holding talks with Israel to facilitate the opening of the Rafah terminal “literally to flood Gaza with food and relief materials,” as humanitarian conditions in the enclave have reached “catastrophic” levels. He stressed that the crossing “is open from the Egyptian side 24/7.”

Despite an earlier announcement that it would reopen on Wednesday under the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, the Rafah border remained closed Thursday from the Palestinian side.

Also Read: Returned Palestinian Bodies Show Signs of Torture and Burns

Since May 2024, the Israeli army has restricted Palestinian movement through Rafah, Gaza’s only outlet not controlled by Tel Aviv before the war began in October 2023. Israeli media reports suggest that Israel refuses to reopen the terminal until it receives the remains of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

Under the current ceasefire agreement, Hamas has released 20 living Israeli hostages and handed over the remains of 10 more in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The group said it is making “great effort” to locate the remains of other captives.

The ceasefire deal, brokered last week based on a plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, outlines a phased process including hostage exchanges, Gaza’s reconstruction, and the establishment of a new governing mechanism excluding Hamas.

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 68,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, most of them women and children, leaving the enclave on the brink of total collapse.[]

Also Read: Hamas Reaffirms Commitment to Gaza Ceasefire and Reconstruction

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)