Israeli army withdraws from Rafah Crossing, hands over control to EU forces ahead of its reopening

The Israeli army withdrew from the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt on Friday in accordance with the terms of the ceasefire agreement, which went into effect on 19 January, Anadolu Agency reports.

According to Israeli Army Radio, the army handed over the Crossing to an international force from the European Union (EU) in preparation for its reopening later on Friday.The radio, which quoted a security source without mentioning his name, noted that the Israeli army has redeployed its forces in an area along the Gaza-Egypt border.Besides the EU mission, the source said Palestinians from the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority will run the Crossing from the Palestinian side, with the role being to stamp existing permits from Gaza.

The broadcaster’s correspondent, Doron Kadosh, said 50 wounded Palestinians will be allowed every day to travel, in addition to three escorts to each injured, totalling 200 people every day.

READ: Rafah Crossing to open Friday for transporting wounded: Egyptian official

He added that all names of wounded people and their escorts will be checked by the Israeli general security service, Shin Bet, along with Egyptian approval on the names.

The EU, on Friday, resumed its Rafah border crossing mission connecting the southern Gaza Strip to Egypt, including for Palestinians needing medical care.

“Europe is here to help: the EU’s civilian border mission deploys today to the Rafah Crossing at the request of the Palestinians and the Israelis,” EU Foreign Policy chief, Kaja Kallas, announced on X.

The Palestinian Health Ministry also confirmed that the Crossing would open on Saturday for the first batch of wounded people to leave Gaza.

It added that their travel is planned in collaboration with the World Health Organisation.

The Rafah Crossing, a vital route for humanitarian aid into Gaza, has been closed since May 2024 after Israel’s ground offensive in the southern city of Rafah.

On 19 January,  a ceasefire agreement and prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel went into effect, initially lasting 42 days, during which negotiations will continue for subsequent phases of the deal. The agreement is mediated by Egypt and Qatar, with support from the US.

Israel’s genocidal war has killed more than 47,400 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and injured more than 111,000 since 7 October, 2023.

The Israeli onslaught on Gaza has left more than 11,000 people missing, with widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis that has claimed the lives of many elderly people and children in one of the worst global humanitarian disasters ever.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

READ: Gaza checkpoint to be staffed by scores of armed American contractors