In a statement from Netanyahu’s office, it was said: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the Rafah crossing not to be opened until further notice.” Earlier today, the Palestinian Embassy in Cairo announced that after communication with Egyptian authorities, the Rafah land crossing would be opened next Monday to allow Palestinians residing in Egypt to return to Gaza once again.
The Palestinian Embassy stated, “After communication with the relevant authorities in the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Rafah land crossing will open starting next Monday, October 20, to enable Palestinian citizens residing in the Arab Republic of Egypt and wishing to return to the Gaza Strip to travel, according to the coordination mechanism in place.”
The Israeli army said in a statement that “preparations to open the Rafah crossing for individuals continue in coordination with Egypt,” noting that “humanitarian aid to Gaza will not pass through the crossing.” The statement added that “the continued entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip will occur through the Kerem Shalom crossing and additional crossings.”
Since the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas was signed on October 13, Hamas has handed over live Israeli prisoners to Israel along with several bodies, while about two thousand Palestinian prisoners and bodies of Palestinian prisoners were released.
Last Monday, Egypt hosted a peace summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, chaired by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah and U.S. President Donald Trump, with the participation of delegation leaders from about 20 countries. Over two years of continuous Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, the region has been destroyed from the far south to the north. The medical sector, schools, universities, places of worship, infrastructure, and vital resources that support life in the region have been destroyed, with 15 vital sectors in Gaza facing destruction, leaving a large number of Palestinian civilians dead and injured.
