Israel agrees to 'limited reopening' of Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza

Israel says it has agreed to a “limited reopening” of the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt as part of Donald Trump’s peace plan.

The crossing will be open “for pedestrian passage only” and “subject to a full Israeli inspection mechanism,” according to a statement from the Israeli prime minister’s office on Sunday night.

The Rafah crossing is a key entry point for humanitarian aid in Gaza. It has been mostly closed since May 2024.

Both humanitarian organisations and the United Nations have long asked for its reopening, but Israeli authorities have resisted the move even since the ceasefire in Gaza came into effect on October 10.

They said the crossing’s reopening “was conditioned” upon the return of all living and deceased hostages.

On Monday, Israel announced it had retrieved the remains of the last hostage in Gaza, a police officer named Ran Gvili.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the recovery of Ran Gvili's body as “an incredible achievement” for Israel and its soldiers.

The United Nations welcomed the recovery of the last Israeli captive and called for the full implementation of the Gaza ceasefire plan.