Israel to allow Rafah crossing to open for pedestrians as soon as IDF finds remains of last hostage Ran Gvili in Gaza

Israel has decided to allow the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said after a cabinet meeting on Sunday, confirming an announcement made during the Board of Peace’s signing ceremony last week.

The statement by Dr. Ali Shaath, head of the "technocratic" National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), on Friday, had reportedly caught Israeli officials by surprise.

On Sunday, the PMO said that “As part of President Trump’s 20-point plan, Israel has agreed to a limited reopening of the Rafah Crossing for pedestrian passage only, subject to a full Israeli inspection mechanism.”

“The reopening of the crossing was conditioned upon the return of all living hostages and a 100% effort by Hamas to locate and return all deceased hostages.”

After launching the Board of Peace and declaring the start of the second phase of the ceasefire, Washington has reportedly been pressuring Israel to allow the full reopening of the Rafah crossing as a first step toward establishing the legitimacy of the NCAG.

Shaath had emphasized that, “For Palestinians in Gaza, Rafah is more than a gate; it is a lifeline and symbol of opportunity.”

Israel has insisted on the return of all 251 hostages before advancing to the second phase of the ceasefire. Just last week, the Israeli cabinet voted not to open the Rafah Border Crossing between Gaza and Egypt, amid clear frustration with the U.S. government over the inclusion of Turkey and Qatar in the Gaza Executive Board. 

The PMO emphasized that the IDF launched a new large-scale operation to find the remains of Master-Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last hostage remaining in Gaza. Israeli media reported that the military is optimistic about the chances of finding his body.

However, IDF soldiers had not found Gvili’s remains by Monday morning, despite opening some 200 graves in a cemetery in northern Gaza.

“Upon completion of this operation, and in accordance with what has been agreed upon with the US, Israel will open the Rafah Crossing. The State of Israel is committed to the return of Israeli hero Master-Sgt. Ran Gvili and will spare no effort to bring him home for a proper Jewish burial,” the PMO said.

The IDF reportedly prepared a special mental-health and therapeutic support framework for the soldiers taking part in the grueling operation of exhuming hundreds of bodies.

According to Army Radio, there had been no breakthrough in the searches for Gvili’s body, codenamed “Operation Brave Heart,” on Monday morning.

Meanwhile, the radio station reported that once the Rafah crossing opens, Hamas operatives and their families are expected to receive permits to leave the Gaza Strip without undergoing Israeli security screenings, which will only be conducted for those seeking to enter the enclave.

Israel’s domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet will pre-approve the identities of those exiting and entering based on its security assessments.

Instead, exit screening and identification will reportedly be carried out by a team of the European Union in cooperation with local Gazans working on behalf of the Palestinian Authority.

Those wishing to enter Gaza will first be screened by the EU team at the Rafah crossing. Afterward, they will be transferred through a corridor under Israeli control and checked by Israeli security personnel, with a focus on preventing smuggling and the entry of unapproved persons.

Israeli media reported that the cabinet meeting ahead of the decision to open the crossing had been stormy, with several members arguing that Israel should not go ahead with the second phase of the ceasefire, particularly citing Hamas’ continued refusal to disarm.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said, “We have done great things like killing tens of thousands of terrorists, but we still have not completely destroyed Hamas. We must dismantle and disarm – enough with the naivety of Witkoff and Kushner,” according to leaked remarks cited by several outlets.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich reportedly added that “if we do not control the area with military rule, the meaning is that we will get a Palestinian state.”

Settlement Minister Orit Strock charged that “we are handing Gaza over to the Palestinian Authority in the blood of our children. This cabinet will eventually decide to send our soldiers to fight Hamas because no one else will do it – and then what will we tell them?”

Meanwhile, the Board of Peace’s senior envoy, Nikolay Mladenov, is expected to arrive in Israel on Monday to finalize the coordination ahead of the crossing’s reopening, which is reportedly expected as soon as Gvili’s body is found – possibly as early as Monday afternoon.