By Peter.
Israel declared Wednesday it would reopen the Rafah crossing “in the coming days” to let Palestinians leave Gaza for Egypt, but Cairo swiftly denied any such deal, insisting on a two-way operation per U.S. President Donald Trump’s ceasefire framework.
COGAT, Israel’s humanitarian coordinator, said the move aligns with the October truce and will be EU-supervised, like the January 2025 mechanism during a six-week pause. It would prioritize exits for ~16,500 ill or injured Gazans needing overseas care, requiring Israeli security clearance.
Egypt’s State Information Service fired back:
“If an agreement is reached, it will be in both directions… in line with Trump’s plan.”
Trump’s 20-point blueprint called for bidirectional flow, but Israel has kept Rafah sealed since October, citing Hamas delays in returning hostages (20 living, 28 deceased so far; partial remains this week didn’t match the two missing). Israeli troops seized the Palestinian side in May 2024 over alleged arms smuggling.
Aid Crunch Persists
Kerem Shalom remains the main aid route, but volumes lag: UN data shows ~100 trucks/day vs. the pledged 600, mostly food—tents and meds face delays. Half of Gazan households report better November food access, but it’s “insufficient” per World Food Programme. Rafah’s reopening could ease this, as Gaza’s sole non-Israeli exit since the 2007 blockade.
A Palestinian official told The New Arab: “No formal notification received.” EU sources noted a similar October 14 false start.
As ceasefire frays over hostages and governance, this spat underscores fragile progress in the two-year war.
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