Preparations began on Wednesday to reopen the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt after the arrival of a European Union monitoring mission and the deployment of Palestinian staff, a senior official in North Sinai said, with passenger traffic expected to resume next week.
Israel’s Walla news site quoted a military source as saying the crossing could begin operating in both directions next Sunday.
A Palestinian official involved in managing the crossing told Al Manassa that members of the Palestinian General Intelligence Service had arrived in Arish to assume duties on the Palestinian side. The EU team arrived at the crossing on Tuesday, the official said.
The Palestinian official, who requested anonymity, said the agreement provides for the daily exit of 100 people from Gaza and the entry of 50 into the enclave. During the first month, priority will be given to wounded individuals and those with serious illnesses, followed in the second month by students and foreign passport holders.
Those seeking to return to Gaza will register through a link published by the Palestinian Embassy in Cairo, the official said, adding that Egyptian authorities will receive daily lists of 50 names to arrange transfers by bus.
The official said Israel has established two inspection points on the Palestinian side of the crossing, and that movement in and out of Gaza will take place along the aid truck route, passing through theKarm Abu Salem crossing for inspection.
Israel delayed approval of Rafah’s reopening during the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, linking it to the return of captives held in Gaza. The Israeli military later announced it had recovered the final body, clearing the way for implementation of the next phase and reopening of the crossing.
Palestinian political analyst Mustafa Ibrahim told Al Manassa that Israel continued to obstruct the ceasefire agreement, which has been in its first phase for three months. That phase saw repeated Israeli violations, resulting in the deaths of more than 480 Palestinians. The second phase should an Israeli withdrawal, reconstruction measures, and the entry of temporary housing units, in line with the deal’s provisions, however, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made disarmament of Hamas a condition for reconstruction to begin, he added.
The international, multinational force will oversee the disarmament process based on an agreed-upon mechanism, while the national committee will be responsible for forming a Palestinian police force, maintaining security, and providing basic services to residents, including electricity, fuel, food, and raw materials, Ibrahim explained.
US President Donald Trump and Netanyahu have repeatedly called for Hamas to disarm, while Hamas has rejected the demand as long as Israeli occupation continues.
Political writer Sufian Abu Zaida told Al Manassa that Israel would continue to raise obstacles, but said decision-making over Gaza’s future was increasingly shaped by international mediation efforts. He estimated that any disarmament process could take three to six months, provided security guarantees were in place.
Both analysts said mediating countries, including Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, would need to apply sustained pressure to ensure the agreement is implemented.
Trump’s announcement of the formation of a “peace board” has triggered wide controversy, with critics pointing to the absence of Palestinian representation while others see it as a tool to entrench the occupation and liquidate the Palestinian cause.
