Israel says Rafah’s Crossing will remain closed, increasing pressure on ‘body’ hostages
Cairo – The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt will remain closed “until Saturday, after the Palestinian embassy in Egypt reopened it on Monday for people to return to Gaza.
In a statement made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he said that the reopening of Rafah will depend on how Hamas fulfills its role in the recovery of the remains of all 28 hostages. Israel’s foreign ministry initially said the crossing could be reopened on Sunday.
Hamas handed over the remains of the 10 hostages. In the statement, we emphasized that its armed wing will move the remnants of the two great nights, without identifying them.
The handover of dum is among the main points – along with the delivery of aid to Gaza and the distribution of the destroyed territory – in the cease-fire process that meant the end of two years of war.
Rafah’s crossing is the only one that is not controlled by Israel before the war. It has been closed since May 2024, when Israel took control of the Gaza Strip. The reopened crossing would make it easier for Gazans to seek medical treatment, travel or visit family in Egypt, home to tens of thousands of Palestinians.
Anxiety on both sides remains
Israel has been returning Palestinian bodies with no names, only numbers. Gaza health service Gaza health Online, in the hope of families to come forward.
“Just as they were taking their hostages, we are looking for our hostages. Bring me my son, bring all our children,” said Iman Sakani who is shedding tears, her son was lost during the war. He was among the many anxious families waiting at Nasser Hospital.
A woman knelt down, weeping bitterly after seeing it.
As part of the ceasefire agreement, Israel on Saturday returned 15 Palestinian bodies from Gaza, bringing the total back to 135.
At that time, the ruins of Gaza were organized by the dead. The new bodies found brought the Palestinian toll above 68,000, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Thousands of people are still missing, according to the Red Cross.
The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, does not distinguish between civilians and refugees in its calculations. But the ministry maintains visible physical records that appear to be trusted mostly by UN agencies and independent experts. Israel has opposed them without providing much of them.
Hamas-Led fighters killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and captured 251 people in the attack on Oct 7, 2023.
The push for hosseges ‘corpses’
Israel said the remains of the 10 captured by Hamas on Friday were identified as Eliyahu Margalit. The 76-year-old was kidnapped from Kibbutz NIR OZ during the Oct. 7. His dead bodies were found after fortune tellers dug holes south of the city of Khan younis.
US President Donald Trump has warned that he will light up the war against Israel, if Hamas does not return the remains of all the dead bodies.
Hamas said it was committed to an end to financial attacks, but that the restitution of money was hampered by the destruction and the presence of undelivered ordnance. The group told the nurses that some are still in areas controlled by Israeli forces.
The Snow Forum, which supports the families of those abducted, said it will continue to hold weekly gatherings until all are returned.
“We will bring back all the ranks of the hostages!” Einav Zangauker, the mother of Matan Zangauker, who was among the 20 kidnappers who returned last week, told a meeting in Tel Aviv.
Assistance is always limited
Hamas has called on Palestinians to increase the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza for its 2 million people. There are ongoing closures of Israeli border crossings and their groups.
“The border areas of the city are just a wasteland,” said human rights spokesman Tom Fletcher on Wednesday Saturday while visiting Gaza City.
UN data on Friday showed 339 trucks have been loaded for distribution in Gaza since the end began. Under the agreement, about 600 aid trucks per day should be allowed to enter.
Cogat, the Israeli Defense Body Overseeing Aid in Gaza, reported 950 trucks – including commercial trucks and conflict deliveries – crossing on Thursday and 716 on Wednesday, the UN said on Wednesday, the UN said.
Throughout the war, Israel has limited aid to Gaza, sometimes suspending it. International food security experts are declaring famine in Gaza City, and the UN says it has confirmed more than 400 people have died from causes related to malnutrition, including more than 100 children.
Israel said it allowed enough food and accused Hamas of stealing much of it, which the UN and other aid agencies denied.
Hamas accuses Israel of breaking the law
Hama also accused Israel of continuing the attack and violating the cease-and-desist order, asserting that 38 Palestinians have been killed since it began. There was no immediate response from Israel, which retains control of nearly half of Gaza.
On Friday, the government defense of Gaza, the first responders working under the Hamas-Run Inter Ministy, said nine people, including women and children, when their car was hit by Israeli fire in Gaza City. The Civil Defense said the vehicle crashed in the Israeli-controlled area east of Gaza.
The Israeli army said it saw a “suspicious vehicle” crossing the so-called yellow line and approaching troops. It means that a gun was fired, but the car continued to approach in the direction of the “imminent threat.” The army said it acted in accordance with the cessation of fire.
