Heads up, fam! 👀 The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt is staying locked down until further notice. Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says reopening hinges on Hamas handing over the remaining bodies of deceased hostages. 🔒
This bombshell came just hours after the Palestinian embassy in Egypt announced that Rafah was set to reopen on Monday for humanitarian entry. Since May 2024, the crossing has been mostly shut, leaving Gazans in limbo. 🕰️
Hamas fired back, calling the move a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement and arguing that the closure actually slows down recovery efforts. They claim the blockade blocks essential equipment needed to find and repatriate more bodies under the rubble. 🏗️⚖️
Under the recent US-brokered ceasefire and hostage deal, Hamas should return 28 Israeli bodies, but so far only 12 have arrived. In exchange, Israel has freed almost 2,000 Palestinian detainees and handed back 15 Palestinian bodies for each Israeli return. 🤝
Both sides warn the dispute could unravel the fragile truce and derail US President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan. Stay tuned as this high-stakes standoff continues – the fate of hostages and the ceasefire hangs in the balance. 🌐
Reference(s):
Israel keeps Rafah closed, blaming Hamas for body handover delays
cgtn.com
