Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt will remain closed until Hamas returns the bodies of deceased hostages, as both sides traded blame over alleged ceasefire violations.
The announcement came after the Palestinian embassy in Egypt said Rafah would reopen on Monday for entry into Gaza. Netanyahu rejected that claim, saying reopening depended on Hamas fulfilling its commitments under the U.S.-brokered ceasefire.
Washington later said it had received “credible reports” of an imminent Hamas attack against civilians, warning it would be a “grave violation” of the truce. Hamas denied the accusations, blaming Israel for arming “criminal gangs” in Gaza and accusing the U.S. of echoing what it called a “misleading narrative.”
Bodies, aid, and fragile peace
Israel said it had received 12 out of 28 hostage bodies agreed under the ceasefire deal, while Hamas insisted the search for others was slowed by rubble and aid restrictions. The militant group accused Israel of blocking equipment needed for recovery efforts.
The war has left Gaza devastated. Nearly all residents have been displaced, famine has been confirmed by global monitors, and hospitals remain overwhelmed.
Under the U.S.-brokered agreement, Hamas released all 20 living Israeli hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees. Israel, in turn, was to return 360 bodies of Palestinian militants for the deceased Israeli hostages, so far, only a fraction of that has happened.
Unresolved issues in Trump’s plan
Rafah has largely remained shut since May 2024, reopening only briefly during humanitarian pauses. The current truce increased aid deliveries to about 560 metric tons of food per day, still far below Gaza’s need, according to the U.N. World Food Programme.
Major questions remain unresolved under U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan, including Hamas’s disarmament, Gaza’s future governance, and the composition of an international stabilisation force. The creation of a Palestinian state also remains uncertain, a formidable obstacle to lasting peace.
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