Israel announced it will allow Palestinians to leave Gaza through the reopened Rafah border crossing, following a U.S.-backed ceasefire deal. The move comes even as partial remains returned by militants did not match the hostages still in Gaza. Officials said the crossing will be coordinated with Egypt and supervised by the European Union.
The first phase of the ceasefire plan hinges on returning the two remaining hostages, Israeli Ran Gvili and Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak. Hamas and allied groups continue searching the rubble for their remains with Red Cross assistance. Since the ceasefire began in October, 20 living hostages and 26 sets of remains have been returned to Israel.
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The Rafah crossing will prioritize medical evacuations and exit from Gaza, but will not allow re-entry. Israel said approval from its security authorities is required, and the EU still needs to finalize logistics. The crossing was last briefly opened in February 2025 for evacuating sick and wounded Palestinians.
Meanwhile, violence persists despite the ceasefire. A Palestinian man was killed by Israeli fire in Gaza City’s “safe zone,” and over 360 Palestinians have died in the territory since the truce began. Both Israel and Hamas accuse each other of violating ceasefire terms, complicating humanitarian efforts.
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The broader ceasefire plan also includes creating an international stabilization force, forming a technocratic Palestinian government, and disarming Hamas. Israel has also appointed an envoy to meet Lebanese officials to explore relations and economic cooperation, showing regional diplomacy is moving alongside the Gaza humanitarian steps.