BBC Arabic reported that the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel had agreed to open the Rafah crossing in a “limited” manner, for the passage of individuals only, and under full Israeli supervision and control.
According to the BBC, the statement said that Israel would open the Rafah crossing in the Gaza Strip after the completion of the ongoing operation to find the body of hostage Ran Gafili.
He explained that the operation of the crossing would take place within a comprehensive Israeli control mechanism, without allowing the passage of goods or shipments, and without disclosing the duration of this arrangement or additional details about the implementation mechanisms.
Search for Israeli hostage
Netanyahu’s office announced the launch of a search operation for the remains of the last Israeli hostage still in the Gaza Strip, in a cemetery in northern Gaza.
The statement added that “the operation is taking place in a cemetery in northern Gaza and involves intensive search efforts, with the full use of all available intelligence. This effort will continue as long as necessary”.
Abu Ubaida’s New Recording: We Are Dealing with Transparency
In a video recording, Abu Ubaida, the new military spokesman for the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, stated that Hamas had provided mediators with all the details and information it possesses regarding the location of the body of the last Israeli hostage in the Gaza Strip, He added that the movement “dealt with the issue of prisoners and bodies with complete transparency, and we accomplished everything required of us based on the ceasefire agreement”.
US Recommendation to Reopen the Crossing
This comes as US envoys Steve Wittkopf and Jared Kushner urged Benjamin Netanyahu during talks in Jerusalem on Sunday to reopen the Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.
The opening of the Rafah crossing, which has been closed since Israel took control of the Palestinian side of it during the war in the Gaza Strip, is one of the provisions of the ceasefire agreement signed with Hamas and announced by US President Donald Trump last October.
Positive meeting
The Israeli news site Ynet quoted an unnamed Israeli official as saying that the meeting between Netanyahu, Wotkov, and Kushner was “positive”.
According to the Israeli official, Witkov pressed for the crossing to be opened even before Hamas returned the remains of Ran Gafni, the last Israeli hostage in Gaza.
The Rafah crossing is a crucial entry point for humanitarian aid to the 2.2 million residents of the Gaza Strip.
Ali Shaath, head of the Palestinian technocratic committee formed to manage the Gaza Strip, announced on Thursday that the crossing would reopen in both directions next week, without specifying a date.
Speaking at the Davos Economic Forum, Shaath said, “For Palestinians in Gaza, Rafah is more than just a gateway; it’s a lifeline and a symbol of hope and opportunity”.
The Israeli government is facing pressure from the family of hostage Ghafeli to retrieve his remains from Gaza.
