Israel to Open Rafah Crossing for Palestinians' Evacuation Following Ceasefire

Thu Dec 04 2025 21:08:14 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The Israeli government has announced the opening of the Rafah crossing with Egypt, allowing Palestinians to leave Gaza. This decision, linked to ongoing ceasefire talks, raises questions about cooperation with Egypt and the humanitarian situation.

Israel will soon reopen the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt to allow Palestinians to evacuate, following coordination with Egypt and under EU supervision. The move coincides with a ceasefire in place, although Egypt has denied formal coordination with Israel. Humanitarian concerns are paramount, as many Palestinians await evacuation amidst ongoing conflict. The crossing has been largely closed since May 2024, heightening humanitarian distress.

Israel has announced it will open the key Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt in the coming days to allow Palestinians to leave the territory.

Israeli military body Cogat stated that exits would be facilitated through coordination with Egypt, following security approval by Israel and under the supervision of the European Union mission. This process is similar to the mechanism that operated in January when the crossing opened during a previous ceasefire.

An Israeli security official indicated that this decision reflects Israel's support for the current ceasefire with Hamas, which initiated seven weeks ago.

However, Egypt has denied any coordination with Israel regarding the reopening of the Rafah crossing.

The State Information Service from Egypt quoted an official source stating that if an agreement is reached to open the crossing, it will be in both directions, to enter and exit the Gaza Strip, in accordance with the plan of U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan suggests similar mechanisms were implemented during the January ceasefire.

Since May 2024, the crossing has been extensively closed after the Palestinian side was taken by Israeli forces, which previously allowed many Palestinians to leave and served as a critical entry point for humanitarian aid.

It is reported that currently at least 16,500 severely ill or injured Palestinians are in need of medical evacuation from Gaza, as the World Health Organization indicates that only 235 patients have been evacuated via crossings with Israel since the ceasefire began.

According to reports from Israel's Haaretz newspaper, Palestinian Authority (PA) forces will help operate the reopened Rafah crossing alongside the EU's Border Assistance Mission. It also noted that Palestinian representatives have assisted in the previous ceasefire without insignia due to Israeli concerns over their presence in Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly blocked the reopening due to the delays in returning deceased hostages held by Hamas and other armed groups.

The first phase of the ceasefire agreement began on October 10, which stipulated that Hamas would return 20 living Israeli hostages and the bodies of 28 Israeli and foreign dead hostages within 72 hours. As of now, the remains of 23 Israeli and three foreign hostages have been handed over in exchange for 345 deceased Palestinians.

One of the two remaining deceased hostages is Israeli while the other is Thai. Forensic testing has revealed that remains handed over recently do not belong to either of these individuals. Recovery efforts for hostages continue amidst a backdrop of conflict, where over 70,100 lives in Gaza have reportedly been lost due to the ongoing military campaign by Israel.