Egypt to reopen Rafah crossing Monday for Palestinians returning to Gaza: Reports
Gaza: The Palestinian Embassy in Cairo has announced that Egypt will reopen the Rafah border crossing on Monday, 20 October, to allow Palestinian citizens residing in Egypt to return to the Gaza Strip.
The embassy said the reopening is being coordinated with the relevant Egyptian authorities and will follow the established coordination mechanism. Palestinians wishing to return were asked to register their personal details with the embassy through WhatsApp for processing.
The move follows a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas brokered by Egypt, the United States, Qatar, and Turkey, which came into effect on 10 October. The Rafah crossing — Gaza’s main gateway to the outside world — has remained closed since May 2024, when Israel seized control of the Gaza side.
However, within minutes of the embassy’s announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement saying the crossing would not reopen “until further notice.” The Israeli side linked the reopening to Hamas’s cooperation in returning the remains of all Israeli hostages killed during the conflict.
Israel’s foreign ministry had earlier indicated that Rafah could reopen on Sunday as part of gradual steps under the ceasefire framework. It remains unclear who will oversee the damaged Gaza-side operations of the crossing once it reopens.
Meanwhile, humanitarian efforts continue amid widespread devastation. The European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM), which had been suspended in March, resumed operations at Rafah on Wednesday, with personnel from Italy, Spain, and France facilitating secure border management.
The World Food Programme (WFP) said it has moved nearly 3,000 tonnes of food into Gaza since the ceasefire began but warned that aid deliveries are still far below requirements. “The ceasefire has opened a narrow window of opportunity,” WFP spokeswoman Abeer Etefa said, adding that five food distribution points were now operating across Gaza.
The United Nations has called for all Gaza border crossings to be opened immediately to allow essential supplies to reach civilians suffering from famine and acute shortages.
As part of the ceasefire deal, Israel on Saturday returned the bodies of 15 more Palestinians to Gaza, bringing the total number of remains handed over to 135. Meanwhile, Hamas accused Israel of violating the truce, claiming 38 Palestinians have been killed since it began.
The Rafah crossing’s reopening remains a critical test for the durability of the ceasefire and for regional mediators seeking to stabilise the post-war landscape in Gaza.
(With agency inputs)