Israel says Rafah crossing to partially reopen as seven Palestinians killed
Israel’s military killed seven Palestinians, including two children, on Wednesday and announced that the Rafah crossing with Egypt will reopen in the coming days — but only to allow Palestinians to leave Gaza.
The fatalities mark the latest reported violations of the US-brokered ceasefire, which has been in place since October 10. The Israeli army said the incidents followed an attack in southern Rafah in which Hamas fighters allegedly wounded four Israeli soldiers, News.Az reports, citing Al Jazeera.
Medics in Gaza said two people were shot and killed in the Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City, while five others — including two children aged eight and 10 — died in an Israeli strike on the al-Mawasi area in southern Gaza. The attack caused a fire that spread through nearby tents, injuring more than 30 people, some with severe burns.
Hamas condemned the strike as a violation of the ceasefire and called on mediators Egypt, Qatar and the United States to intervene. According to Gaza authorities, Israel has violated the ceasefire more than 590 times, resulting in at least 360 Palestinian deaths and over 900 injuries.
Israel also confirmed receiving the remains of what could be one of the two Israeli captives still held in Gaza, transferred via the International Committee of the Red Cross. The handover came a day after forensic tests showed earlier remains did not belong to the two remaining captives.
Since the ceasefire began, Hamas has returned 20 living captives and 26 bodies in exchange for roughly 2,000 Palestinian detainees.
The future of the Rafah crossing — a major element of the current ceasefire plan — remains uncertain.
Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said the crossing would open “exclusively for the exit” of Gaza residents, with individuals requiring security approval. The announcement sparked concerns among Palestinians and analysts that one-way travel could result in long-term displacement.
Egypt rejected the idea of a one-way opening. The State Information Service said Cairo had not agreed to any such arrangement and insisted Rafah must operate in both directions, in line with the ceasefire plan and UN Security Council Resolution 2803.
The United Nations called for the full reopening of Rafah for people, humanitarian workers and aid.
“If residents of Gaza want to leave, they need to be able to do so freely — and if they wish to return, they should be able to return,” UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said.
US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire was “going along well” and reiterated that the second phase of his multi-step plan for Gaza would begin “very soon”. Later phases include an international stabilisation force, a technocratic Palestinian administration and the disarmament of Hamas — a proposal the group rejects.
The World Health Organization estimates that 8,000 patients have been evacuated from Gaza since October 2023, but more than 16,500 still need to leave for medical treatment. Doctors Without Borders said the demand for medical evacuation remains “huge”.
More than 30 countries have accepted patients, though numbers vary widely. Egypt and the UAE host the largest groups, while Italy has taken in more than 200 patients.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 70,117 Palestinians have been killed and 170,999 wounded since October 2023.
In Israel, 1,139 people were killed during the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, with around 200 taken captive.
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