Israel says Gaza's Rafah crossing likely to reopen on Sunday
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has indicated the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt will likely reopen Sunday as preparations continue. The crossing remains closed despite ceasefire provisions, with Israel demanding return of all hostage remains before permitting operations.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has announced that the crucial Rafah border crossing connecting Gaza with Egypt will likely resume operations Sunday following ongoing preparations to reopen the vital transit point. The minister's Thursday statement followed Egyptian confirmation that Cairo maintains readiness to "flood Gaza with food and relief materials" through the crossing, which Egyptian officials emphasized remains "open from the Egyptian side 24/7" despite the continued closure from the Palestinian territory.Humanitarian access negotiations
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty characterized Gaza's humanitarian situation as reaching "catastrophic" levels during Thursday discussions with Israeli counterparts regarding border access. The diplomatic efforts aim to establish sustained humanitarian corridors through Rafah, Gaza's sole border crossing not directly controlled by Israel before the conflict began in October 2023, though Israeli forces have restricted Palestinian movement through the terminal since May 2024.
Hostage remains condition
Israeli media reports indicate Tel Aviv continues refusing to reopen Rafah until Hamas returns all remaining hostage remains, despite the group's Wednesday confirmation that recovery teams are exerting "great effort" to locate additional bodies. Under the current ceasefire arrangement, Hamas has already released 20 living Israeli captives and returned 10 deceased hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners released from Israeli detention facilities.
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Ceasefire framework context
The border access discussions occur within the broader ceasefire framework US President Donald Trump mediated last week, which includes provisions for Gaza reconstruction and establishment of new governance mechanisms excluding Hamas participation. The agreement's implementation proceeds amid a humanitarian crisis following months of conflict that killed approximately 68,000 Palestinians and left extensive infrastructure destruction throughout the coastal territory.
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