A file photo of Rafah Crossing from the Palestinian side in Gaza before the Israeli army would destroy it in the way. Photo : AFP
Benjamin Netanyahu's office said that any opening of the sole border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip is conditional on the return of all living Israelis captives and on "Hamas making a 100% effort " to locate and return all dead captives.
In reality, all living Israelis have already been returned, and the sole remaining body of an Israeli sergeant is extremely difficult to locate amid the massive rubble left by Israeli bombings. The situation is further worsened by Israel’s ongoing restrictions on the entry of heavy machines into Gaza, which significantly hampers search efforts.
Israel said that the opening of the crossing "in accordance with what has been agreed upon with the US" will take place after that operation is complete.
The Rafah crossing has remained closed since May 2024, when Israeli forces bombed the facility and took control of the Palestinian side. The closure has cut off civilian movement and blocked the delivery of essential aid, severely exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
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