‘Israel will open the Rafah Crossing’: Netanyahu agrees, but sets THIS condition
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Israel will open the Rafah Crossing’: Netanyahu agrees, but sets THIS condition")
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Photograph: (AFP)
Israel will allow a limited reopening of the Rafah crossing for pedestrians only, said Israeli PM Netanyahu. However, the border crossing will only be opened after Hamas meets the conditions set by Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on late Sunday (Jan 25) said that it would allow a “limited reopening” of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt only after an operation to locate the body of the last remaining Israeli hostage. The statement comes following the visit by US envoys, who had reportedly pressed Israeli officials to reopen the crossing during talks in Jerusalem over the weekend.
The reopening of Rafah, which is a key entry point for aid into Gaza, was part of the initial phase of the truce plan announced by US President Donald Trump to reach a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. However, the border crossing has been closed since Israeli forces took control of it during the war.
World leaders and aid groups have repeatedly insisted that more humanitarian convoys should be allowed to access Gaza, which is gripped with devastation due to the war that has been going on for more than two years. The Palestinian population in the territory depend on the essential medical equipment, food and other supplies sent through aid.
According to the statement, Israel had agreed to a reopening “for pedestrian passage only, subject to a full Israeli inspection mechanism.”
The move would depend on “the return of all living hostages and a 100% effort by Hamas to locate and return all deceased hostages”, it said on X.
Hamas says provided details on last hostage
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A spokesman for Hamas’ Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Obeida, said the group had “provided mediators with all the details and information in our possession regarding the location of the captive’s body”, referring to Ran Gvili.
He added that “the enemy [Israel] is currently searching one of the sites based on information transmitted by the Al-Qassam Brigades”.
Ran Gvili’s body is the last one that remains in Gaza after Hamas took 251 Israelis hostage after the October 7, 2023, attack. All the other hostages, both living and dead, have been returned to Israel, except Gvili.
A non-commissioned officer in the Israeli police’s elite Yassam unit, Gvili was killed during the attack by Hamas and his body was taken to Gaza.
Gvili’s family has opposed the second phase of the truce plan backed by Trump before they receive his remains.
“First and foremost, Ran must be brought home,” his family said in a statement.
