The Egyptian government has denied claims by Israeli authorities that Cairo coordinated plans to reopen the Rafah border crossing to allow only outbound travel for Palestinians from Gaza in the coming days.
Citing an unnamed official source, Egypt’s State Information Service said Cairo had not agreed to any such coordination with Israel.
The source added that any reopening of the Rafah crossing would need to enable movement in both directions—entry and exit—as stipulated in the Gaza ceasefire framework, part of the so-called peace plan put forward by US President Donald Trump.
Earlier today, Israeli authorities claimed they would open Rafah in one direction for Palestinian departures only, asserting the move was made in coordination with Egyptian officials.
Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories stated that departures would require Israeli security clearance and be overseen by the European Union Mission, in line with the tightly controlled system implemented in January 2025.
That system placed severe restrictions on Palestinian movement, requiring prior Israeli permits, Egyptian coordination, and international monitoring. Travel was limited to select groups such as the wounded, students, and Egyptian residency holders.
While the ceasefire agreement explicitly calls for Rafah to open in both directions, COGAT’s statement made no mention of incoming movement, prompting the Palestinian Information Center to denounce it as yet another violation by the Israeli government.
Israeli forces have kept Rafah sealed since launching a ground invasion of Rafah city in May 2024. The closure has left thousands of Palestinians trapped inside Gaza, cut off from medical evacuation, safe passage, or entry of aid workers and supplies.
Since Israel began its genocidal campaign, approximately 100,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced from Gaza into Egypt. In October 2025, the Palestinian embassy in Egypt announced that the crossing will be opened in light of the ceasefire, providing those who reside in the country with contact information to apply for return. A day later, Israel declared that the blockade will remain in place, alleging ceasefire violations on the part of Hamas. The crossing has been closed to individuals since then.
