Conflicting reports emerge over reopening of Rafah crossing
Conflicting reports emerged Wednesday from Israeli media outlets over whether Israel will reopen the Rafah border crossing
JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL (MNTV) — Conflicting reports emerged Wednesday from Israeli media outlets over whether Israel will reopen the Rafah border crossing with Gaza for the entry of humanitarian aid following the return of four Israeli prisoners’ bodies by Hamas.
According to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN, the country’s political leadership decided to reopen the crossing between Egypt and Gaza on Wednesday morning to allow some 600 trucks of humanitarian aid into the enclave.
KAN also reported that four more bodies of Israeli prisoners are expected to be transferred from Hamas in the coming hours.
However, the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, citing an unnamed Israeli security official, disputed the claim, saying the border would remain closed due to logistical reasons.
“It’s not logistically possible. We need to go down to the area, inspect it, and send in a team — that takes time,” the official said, adding that the reopening date “is unknown.”
The Israeli army later said that one of the four bodies returned on Tuesday did not match any of the known prisoners, following forensic examinations. The army urged Hamas “to make all necessary efforts to return the deceased hostages.”
There was no immediate response from Hamas regarding the Israeli claims.
Hamas handed over the bodies of four Israeli prisoners on Tuesday, a day after releasing 20 living prisoners and transferring the bodies of four others in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners under the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
The truce, announced last week by US President Donald Trump, aims to secure the release of all Israeli captives, the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the exchange of prisoners in multiple stages.
The second phase reportedly calls for the establishment of a new governing mechanism in Gaza without Hamas’ participation, the deployment of a multinational force, and the group’s disarmament.
Since October 2023, Israel’s military offensive has killed nearly 68,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and left much of the Gaza Strip uninhabitable.
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