Israel opens Gaza border crossing, lifts aid limits after Hamas transfers more hostage bodies

Israel agreed to open the Gaza Strip’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt and lift aid limitations after Hamas transferred four more bodies to Israel on Tuesday evening.

The sanctions had been implemented after Hamas had transferred only four out of the 28 hostage bodies on Monday, instead of most or all of them, as the deal demands.

However, after the four bodies were identified, it turned out that one of them belonged to a Gazan man, and it was unclear whether Israel would reinstate the sanctions at the time of publication.

In addition, the bodies of Tamir Nimrodi, Uriel Baruch, and Eitan Levi were returned.

The Rafah crossing was opened for pedestrian traffic, while humanitarian aid continues to enter Gaza through other border crossings.

The Saudi Al-Hadath channel also reported that the European Union’s EUBAM monitoring mission, which includes police forces from Italy, Spain and France, will resume its activities on Wednesday.

Last week, an Israeli security official told The Times of Israel that Israel would allow civilians to leave the enclave via the Rafah crossing, after coordination with Egypt, Israeli security approval, and EUBAM supervision.

Israel will also, for the first time since the war began, allow Gazan civilians to return to Gaza via the Rafah Crossing, “subject to Israeli approval and to a specific mechanism that will be coordinated later with the Egyptian side,” the official added.

Meanwhile, in an ironic twist, the left-leaning Hostages and Missing Families Forum, as well as far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, are blasting the government over its failure to ensure the return of all hostage bodies.

The forum demanded a meeting with IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, and requested an explanation of how the IDF intends to force Hamas to comply with the terms.

“It is impossible for the IDF to allow the continued implementation of the agreement while Hamas is blatantly violating it and our loved ones are still in Gaza,” the forum said.

It warned that Hamas “plans to hold the hostages despite the agreement that it signed,” asking whether the IDF continues to hold to the failed security concepts of before the war, believing Hamas’ claims “instead of understanding that this is a fraudulent and despicable terrorist organization.”

On Wednesday, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem claimed the terror group is “following up on the implementation of what was agreed upon regarding the handover of the bodies of the Israeli soldiers,” while accusing Israel of violating the agreement by killing “civilians” in Gaza.

The IDF said Tuesday it had opened fire after “several suspects were identified crossing the yellow line and approaching IDF troops operating in the northern Gaza Strip, which constitutes a violation of the agreement. Attempts were made to distance the suspects. The suspects did not comply.”

National Security Minister Ben Gvir, meanwhile, called to return to fighting to eliminate Hamas.

“Enough with the disgrace. Moments after opening the gates to hundreds of trucks, Hamas quickly reverted to its well-known tactics – lying, deceiving, and abusing families and bodies. Nazi terrorism understands only force, and the only way to solve problems with it is to wipe it off the face of the earth,” he wrote on 𝕏.

On Tuesday night, he called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to issue “a clear ultimatum to Hamas: if you do not immediately return all the bodies of our fallen and you continue with these delays, we will immediately halt all aid supplies entering the Strip.”