Israel will reopen Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt for the passage of people only after completing an operation to locate the body of the last remaining Israeli hostage in the enclave, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said late on Sunday.
The crossing had been due to reopen during the initial phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war, under a ceasefire reached in October between Israel and Hamas. However, Israel made the reopening conditional on the return of all living hostages held in Gaza and a “100% effort” by Hamas to locate and return the bodies of deceased captives.
All hostages have now been returned except for the body of police officer Ran Gvili. The Israeli military said on Sunday it had launched a “targeted operation” in northern Gaza to recover his remains, with an Israeli military official citing several intelligence leads regarding his possible location.
Netanyahu’s office said the military was conducting a focused operation to exhaust all available intelligence in the effort to retrieve Gvili’s body, adding that Israel would open the Rafah crossing once the operation was completed.
The announcement came after Ali Shaath, head of a transitional Palestinian committee backed by the United States to temporarily administer Gaza, said on Thursday that the crossing would open this week. Rafah is effectively the only route in or out of Gaza for most of its more than two million residents.
The Gaza side of the crossing has been under Israeli military control since 2024. Netanyahu’s office said Israel had agreed, as part of Trump’s 20-point plan, to a limited reopening of Rafah for pedestrian traffic only, subject to full Israeli inspection.
Washington said earlier this month that the plan had entered a second phase, under which Israel is expected to withdraw further troops from Gaza while Hamas is due to hand over control of the territory’s administration. Sources told Reuters last week that Israel wants to limit the number of Palestinians entering Gaza through Rafah to ensure more people leave than enter.
A mosaic portrait of Pope Leo XIV was illuminated on Sunday at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, continuing a centuries-old Vatican ...
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Sunday that his government has no intention of pursuing a free trade agreement with China, pushing back ag...
Israel will reopen Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt for the passage of people only after completing an operation to locate the body of the last rema...
A senior US immigration official defended the continuation of an enforcement mission in Minneapolis on Sunday, saying enforcing the law is a "duty." T...
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited an art studio to oversee sculptures for a memorial dedicated to North Korean soldiers killed while fightin...
A mosaic portrait of Pope Leo XIV was illuminated on Sunday at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, continuing a centuries-old Vatican tradition marking the election of a new pope.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Sunday that his government has no intention of pursuing a free trade agreement with China, pushing back against claims by President Donald Trump, who has threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian goods if Ottawa deepens trade ties with Beijing.
A senior US immigration official defended the continuation of an enforcement mission in Minneapolis on Sunday, saying enforcing the law is a "duty." Tensions are high following the fatal shooting of nurse and U.S. citizen Alex Pretti by federal agents.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited an art studio to oversee sculptures for a memorial dedicated to North Korean soldiers killed while fighting overseas, state media said, amid growing scrutiny of Pyongyang’s military role in Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The UN Human Rights Council has condemned Iran for rights abuses and ordered an expanded investigation into a crackdown on anti-government protests that killed thousands, as Tehran warned any military attack would be treated as an all-out war.
Firefighters were clearing the charred ruins of a Karachi shopping mall in Pakistan on Tuesday (20 January) as they searched for people still missing after a fire that burned for nearly two days and killed at least 67 people, police said.
Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on 23 January there are signs Israel is still seeking an opportunity to attack Iran, warning that such a move could further destabilise the Middle East.
Germany is divided over whether to boycott the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States if U.S. President Donald Trump were to follow through on remarks about annexing Greenland, a move widely viewed in Europe as a violation of international law.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that Canada is opposing the possible construction of his proposed ‘Golden Dome’ missile defence system over Greenland, despite what he claimed would be security benefits for Canada.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has activated the state’s National Guard following the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen in Minneapolis, an incident that has triggered protests and intensified tensions between state and federal authorities.
A mosaic portrait of Pope Leo XIV was illuminated on Sunday at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, continuing a centuries-old Vatican tradition marking the election of a new pope.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited an art studio to oversee sculptures for a memorial dedicated to North Korean soldiers killed while fighting overseas, state media said, amid growing scrutiny of Pyongyang’s military role in Russia’s war in Ukraine.
A senior US immigration official defended the continuation of an enforcement mission in Minneapolis on Sunday, saying enforcing the law is a "duty." Tensions are high following the fatal shooting of nurse and U.S. citizen Alex Pretti by federal agents.
Britain’s Labour Party has blocked Manchester mayor Andy Burnham from standing to return to parliament, a move that has fuelled accusations from party figures that Prime Minister Keir Starmer is seeking to sideline a potential leadership rival.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment