Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Saturday that the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt will remain shut indefinitely, linking its reopening directly to Hamas handing over the bodies of deceased Israeli hostages.
His announcement came just hours after the Palestinian embassy in Egypt said the crossing would reopen Monday to allow Palestinians from Egypt to return to Gaza. Netanyahu’s office clarified that “the crossing’s opening will be considered based on how Hamas fulfils its obligations to return the fallen hostages and implement the agreed framework.”
As of Saturday, Hamas pledged to turn in two more bodies by 10 p.m. local time, bringing the total to 12 of 28.
While the ceasefire agreement mandated the return of all deceased hostages, Israel has sharply criticized Hamas for what it sees as a sluggish pace. Hamas counters that identification and recovery amid Gaza’s widespread destruction is challenging and that locating many bodies will take considerable time.
Under the hostage-prisoner swap deal, Israel released approximately 2,000 Palestinian detainees in exchange for 20 surviving Israeli captives and the return of hostage remains.
Meanwhile, Israel has transferred 360 bodies of Palestinian militants to Hamas, at a rate of about 15 for each Israeli body received so far.
Rafah has been largely nonoperational since May 2024, limiting movement into and out of Gaza at a critical juncture.
Under the ceasefire, humanitarian access was to increase. On average, around 560 metric tons of food have entered Gaza daily, though this remains far below the scale of need.
However, with Rafah closed, many aid convoys must reroute through crossings such as Kerem Shalom, which has limited throughput and increasingly strict inspections.
The standoff goes to show how delicate the ceasefire is. Beyond the issue of hostages, key components of U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan remain unresolved: disarmament of Hamas, governance in Gaza, and the role of an international stabilization force.
Any further delays by Hamas in handing over remains, or perceived violations by Israel will risk unraveling the agreement entirely.
Africa Digital News, New York
