Israel will reopen the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt "in the coming days". This would allow Gazans to travel to Egypt.
"In accordance with the ceasefire agreement and a directive from the political leadership, the Rafah border crossing will be opened exclusively for residents of the Gaza Strip who wish to travel to Egypt in the coming days," reports COGAT, the Israeli defence organisation for the coordination of emergency aid.
This will be done in cooperation with Egypt, after approval by the Israeli security services and under the supervision of a European Union delegation.
This was also the case in early January, when the border crossing opened for Palestinians who needed medical assistance and had to travel to Egypt for this purpose.
Earlier in the day, Israel had said it would only allow residents of Gaza to travel to Egypt.
The reopening of the Rafah border crossing is part of US President Donald Trump's plan, but has long been a demand of the UN and humanitarian organisations.
In May 2024, the Israeli army took control of the border crossing on the Palestinian side, arguing that it was being used for "terrorist purposes", such as smuggling weapons.
The border crossing is located in the southernmost part of the Gaza Strip, on the border with Egypt at the edge of the Sinai Desert. It is a key access route for international aid workers and trucks transporting aid supplies, food and fuel.
For a long time, the border crossing was one of the main exits for Palestinians from Gaza who had permission to leave the coastal enclave. Gaza has been under Israeli blockade since 2007.
According to Hamas, the closure of this important border crossing in recent months has led to significant delays in the transfer of the bodies of deceased hostages. In October, the group claimed that Israel was preventing search missions at the border post, making it difficult to identify bodies.
Cairo denies
Later on Wednesday, Egypt denied reaching an agreement to open the Rafah border crossing exclusively for people leaving Gaza, state media reported.
Cairo insists that transit must occur in both directions, allowing movement into and out of the Gaza Strip.
A statement clarified that if an agreement to open the border is made, it will accommodate travel in both directions in line with US President Donald Trump's plans.
On Tuesday, the United Nations General Assembly also passed a resolution demanding that Israel withdraw from the Golan Heights in Syria to the borders that existed before the Six-Day War in 1967.
The resolution describes the Israeli occupation as "illegal", particularly because it contravenes a series of previous United Nations Security Council resolutions.
