Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Egypt on Wednesday denied Israeli claims that the two countries had agreed to reopen the Rafah crossing solely to allow Gazans to exit into Egypt, insisting that any arrangement must permit movement in both directions. The clarification came shortly after Israel announced plans to open the crossing “exclusively” for outbound Palestinian passage from the besieged enclave.
Egypt’s State Information Service said the country was not coordinating with Israel on a unilateral reopening and maintained that the crossing should function as a two-way gateway. An Egyptian official, quoted in the statement, emphasized that if the crossing were to open, entry and exit must both be permitted and aligned with the framework of US President Donald Trump’s proposed plan for the Palestinian territories.
Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) earlier stated that the Rafah crossing would be opened in the coming days to allow Gaza residents to depart to Egypt, noting that the step was part of a ceasefire agreement. According to COGAT, the crossing would be operated under the supervision of the EU Border Assistance Mission, following the model used briefly in January 2025 during a six-week truce.
European diplomatic officials said preparations had been underway for a pedestrian reopening earlier in October, but the plan was delayed.
The Rafah crossing has been a critical and often contentious lifeline for Gaza. Israel took control of the Palestinian side of the crossing in May 2024, claiming it had been used for arms trafficking and other illicit activities. During the January ceasefire, the crossing opened for a limited period, first allowing authorized individuals to leave and later enabling the movement of humanitarian trucks.
Rafah remains the primary entry point for humanitarian personnel and essential supplies, including food, fuel, and medical aid, commodities that have become increasingly scarce in Gaza, which has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007. For many Palestinians, it has long served as the main authorized route out of the territory.
In a separate diplomatic development, Lebanese and Israeli civilian representatives held rare direct talks Wednesday at the headquarters of the UN peacekeeping force in Naqura, near the border. A source close to the discussions said the meeting was held as part of the monitoring mechanism established under the 2024 US-brokered ceasefire that ended more than a year of confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah.
Morgan Ortagus, the US Special Representative for Lebanon, attended the talks. Earlier the same day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that Israel would send a representative to Lebanon to explore the possibility of establishing a bilateral relationship and economic cooperation.
Lebanon remains technically in a state of war with Israel, but President Joseph Aoun has in recent months signaled openness to dialogue. Despite the ceasefire, both sides continue to accuse one another of violations. Israel has carried out airstrikes targeting what it says are Hezbollah attempts to rebuild military capabilities, while Lebanese officials assert that Israeli bombardments and the occupation of hilltop positions in the south constitute breaches of the truce.
The parallel disputes over the future of the Rafah crossing and the fragile detente along the Lebanon-Israel frontier, underscore the persistent volatility of regional dynamics, even amid new attempts at negotiation and diplomatic engagement.
