Egyptian source denies Israeli reports on Rafah crossing reopening for Gaza exit only

CAIRO – 3 December 2025: An official Egyptian source on Wednesday denied Israeli media reports suggesting the Rafah border crossing with Gaza would soon reopen solely to allow Palestinians to exit the enclave, Al Qahera News reported.

A statement cited by the State Information Service (SIS) said that if an agreement is reached to open Rafah, the crossing will operate in both directions, for entry and exit, in line with US President Donald Trump’s plan.

COGAT, Israeli army’s arm overseeing aid flows, claimed on Wednesday that Gaza’s Rafah crossing will open in the coming days to allow Palestinians in need of medical care to leave the enclave through Egypt.

The opening will be coordinated with Egypt under EU supervision, following a mechanism used during a January 2025 ceasefire, Reuters reported, citing COGAT.

Under Trump’s 20-point plan, which drew a ceasefire to Gaza since October, the Rafah crossing was to operate in both directions.

“Opening the Rafah crossing in both directions will be subject to the same mechanism implemented under 19 January 2025 agreement,” Trump’s plan, which secured a UN Security Council endorsement last month, says.

However, Israel, which has largely kept the strategic Rafah border crossing closed in both directions throughout the two-year war, has maintained the closure.

Israel has pressured Hamas to expedite the release of all captives that the Palestinian movement took during the October 7, 2023 attack.

Hamas has already released all 20 living captives it held in exchange for about 2,000 Palestinian detainees, as well as all the remains of deceased captives except those of Ran Gvili and Sudthisak Rinthalak.

Israel has accused Hamas of stalling, while Hamas says the search has been slowed by the destruction left after two years of war.

Prior to the war, the Rafah crossing served as Gaza’s main gateway to the outside world for most Palestinians.