Tel Aviv. Israel has made it clear that the Rafah border between Gaza and Egypt will remain closed until further orders. The decision came as the Palestinian Embassy in Egypt announced that the border would be reopened from Monday to provide relief to people returning from outside Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement saying the decision to reopen the Rafah crossing would depend on how Hamas fulfills its commitments under the ceasefire, particularly the issue of returning the remains of all 28 dead hostages.
Earlier, the Israeli Foreign Ministry had indicated that the border could open by Sunday. However, the government has now toughened its stance and said on Saturday that there will be no relaxation until Hamas returns the remains of the hostages. It is noteworthy that before the Rafah border war, it was the only border of Gaza which was outside Israeli control. The border has been closed since Israel established control over the Gaza Strip in May 2024.