Israel has said it will reopen the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt once it completes an operation to recover the body of the last Israeli hostage still believed to be in Gaza.
The crossing has stayed mostly closed since May 2024, when Israeli forces took control of the Palestinian side. It was expected to reopen during the first phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that began in October. However, Israel tied the reopening to the recovery of police officer Master Sgt Ran Gvili.
Search Operation Underway in Northern Gaza
On Sunday, the Israeli military confirmed it had launched a focused search operation in northern Gaza to locate Gvili’s remains. Military officials said intelligence gathered over months pointed to possible burial sites in Gaza City, including the Shejaiya and Daraj Tuffah areas.
Special teams are working on the ground. These include search units, rabbis, and dental experts using mobile X ray equipment. Israeli media reported that the search is taking place at a cemetery and could last several days. Officials have not given a clear timeline for completion.
Conditional Reopening of Rafah Crossing
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that Israel had agreed to a limited reopening of the Rafah crossing. The crossing would allow pedestrian movement only and remain under full Israeli inspection.
Israeli officials said they would monitor entry and exit lists and set up an additional screening area near the Yellow Line. This zone marks areas that remain under Israeli control under the ceasefire agreement.
Israel stated that it would reopen the crossing once the search operation ends and in line with agreements reached with the United States.
Hamas and Mediators Respond
Hamas’s armed wing, the Izzedine al Qassam Brigades, said it had shared all available information with mediators about the location of Gvili’s body. The group added that Israeli forces were already searching one of the identified sites.
Earlier, the head of Gaza’s new technocratic government said the Rafah crossing would open in both directions this week. Egypt has also insisted that any reopening must allow Palestinians to leave and return freely.
Family Opposes Early Reopening
Gvili’s family strongly opposed reopening the crossing before his body returns to Israel. They said their priority is to bring Ran home for burial.
Gvili, who was 24, died during the Hamas led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. His body was taken to Gaza as a hostage.
Wider Peace Efforts Continue
The announcement comes as US and international mediators push both sides to move forward with the next phase of President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan. On Saturday, US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Netanyahu to discuss phase two. Witkoff described the talks as positive.
Phase one included a ceasefire, hostage exchanges, partial Israeli withdrawal, and increased humanitarian aid. Phase two aims to establish a technocratic Palestinian government in Gaza, oversee reconstruction, and fully demilitarise the territory.
The war began after the October 2023 attack that killed around 1,200 people in Israel. Israel’s military response has since killed more than 71,650 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas run health ministry.
