Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt to reopen on Sunday, Israel says

Israel will reopen the Rafah border crossing on Sunday for people to travel between Gaza and Egypt, the Israeli government agency that coordinates civilian policy in Gaza, COGAT, said on Friday.

"The return of residents from Egypt to the Gaza Strip will be permitted, in coordination with Egypt, for residents who left Gaza during the course of the war only, and only after prior security clearance by Israel," COGAT said.

The Rafah crossing is effectively the sole route in or out of Gaza for nearly all of the more than 2 million people who live there.

Israel seized the border crossing in May 2024, about nine months into the Gaza war. Reopening it was an important requirement under the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to stop fighting between Israel and Hamas militants, which followed a ceasefire agreed in October.

Israel had said it would reopen it only after recovering the body of the last Israeli hostage in Gaza, which took place this week.