Israel will reopen Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt for the passage of people only after an operation to locate the body of the last remaining Israeli hostage in the enclave is completed, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said late on Sunday.
The border was supposed to have opened 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 conditioned the reopening on the return of all living hostages held by Palestinian militant factions in Gaza, as well as a “100% effort” by Hamas to locate and return the bodies of all deceased hostages.