Israel Says Gaza’s Rafah Crossing Will Remain Closed, Adding Pressure Over Hostages’ Remains

The Rafah separator crossing between Gaza and Egypt will enactment closed “until further notice,” Israel said Saturday, aft nan Palestinian embassy successful Egypt said nan territory’s sole gateway to nan extracurricular world would reopen Monday for group returning to Gaza.

The connection by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s agency said reopening Rafah would dangle connected really Hamas fulfills its ceasefire domiciled of returning nan remains of each 28 dead hostages. Israel’s overseas ministry earlier said nan crossing would apt reopen Sunday.

Hamas has handed complete nan remains of 10 hostages. In a statement, it asserted that its equipped helping would manus complete nan remains of 2 much Saturday night, without identifying them.

The handover of remains is among cardinal points, on pinch assistance deliveries into Gaza and nan devastated territory’s future, successful nan ceasefire process meant to extremity 2 years of conflict.The Rafah crossing is nan only 1 not controlled by Israel before the conflict. It has been closed since May 2024, erstwhile Israel took power of nan Gaza side. A afloat reopened crossing would make it easier for Gazans to activity aesculapian treatment, recreation aliases sojourn family successful Egypt, location to tens of thousands of Palestinians.

Anxiety connected some sides complete remains

Israel has been returning nan bodies of Palestinians pinch nary names, only numbers. Gaza’s Health Ministry posts photos of them online, hoping families will travel forward.

”Just for illustration they took their captives, we want our captives. Bring maine my son, bring each our kids back,” said a tearful Iman Sakani, whose boy went missing during nan conflict. She was among dozens of anxious families waiting astatine Nasser hospital.

One female knelt, crying complete a assemblage aft identifying it.

As portion of nan ceasefire agreement, Israel connected Saturday returned 15 bodies of Palestinians to Gaza, bringing nan full it has returned to 135.

Meanwhile, Gaza’s ruins were being scoured for nan dead. Newly recovered bodies brought nan Palestinian toll supra 68,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Thousands of group are still missing, according to nan Red Cross.

The ministry, portion of nan Hamas-run government, doesn’t separate betwixt civilians and combatants successful its count. But nan ministry maintains elaborate casualty records that are seen arsenic mostly reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. Israel has disputed them without providing its ain toll.Hamas-led militants killed astir 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 group successful nan onslaught connected confederate Israel that sparked nan astir caller conflict connected Oct. 7, 2023.

A push for hostages’ remains

Israel said the remains of a 10th hostage that Hamas handed complete Friday were identified arsenic Eliyahu Margalit. The 76-year-old was abducted from kibbutz Nir Oz during nan Oct. 7 attack. His remains were recovered aft bulldozers plowed up pits successful nan confederate metropolis of Khan Younis.

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that he would greenlight a resumption of nan conflict by Israel, if Hamas doesn’t return nan remains of each dormant hostages.

Hamas has said it is committed to nan ceasefire deal, but that nan retrieval of remains is hampered by nan devastation and nan beingness of unexploded ordnance. The group has told mediators that immoderate remains are successful areas controlled by Israeli troops.

The hostage forum that supports nan families of those abducted said it will proceed holding play rallies until each are returned.“We will bring backmost each nan deceased hostages!” Einav Zangauker, nan mother of Matan Zangauker, who was among nan 20 surviving hostages returned past week, told nan rally successful Tel Aviv.

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Aid remains limited

Hamas has urged mediators to summation nan travel of humanitarian assistance into Gaza for its 2 cardinal people. There are continued closures of crossings and Israeli restrictions connected assistance groups.

“Vast parts of nan metropolis are conscionable a wasteland,” U.N. humanitarian main Tom Fletcher said Saturday while visiting Gaza City.

U.N. information connected Friday showed 339 trucks person been offloaded for distribution successful Gaza since nan ceasefire began. Under nan agreement, astir 600 assistance trucks per time should beryllium allowed to enter.

COGAT, nan Israeli defense assemblage overseeing assistance successful Gaza, reported 950 trucks — including commercialized trucks and bilateral deliveries — crossing connected Thursday and 716 connected Wednesday, nan U.N. said.

Throughout nan conflict, Israel restricted assistance to Gaza, sometimes halting it. International nutrient information experts declared famine successful Gaza City, and nan U.N. says it has verified much than 400 group who died of malnutrition-related causes, including complete 100 children.Israel has said it fto successful capable nutrient and accused Hamas of stealing overmuch of it, which nan U.N. and different assistance agencies deny.

Hamas accuses Israel of violations

Hamas again accused Israel of continuing attacks and violating nan ceasefire, asserting that 38 Palestinians had been killed since it began. There was nary contiguous consequence from Israel, which still maintains power of astir half of Gaza.

On Friday, Gaza’s Civil Defense, first responders operating nether nan Hamas-run Interior Ministry, said 9 group were killed, including women and children, erstwhile their conveyance was deed by Israeli occurrence successful Gaza City. The Civil Defense said nan car crossed into an Israeli-controlled area successful eastbound Gaza.

Israel’s service said it saw a “suspicious vehicle” crossing nan alleged yellowish statement and approaching troops. It said it fired informing shots, but nan conveyance continued to attack successful a mode that posed an “imminent threat.” The service said it acted successful accordance pinch nan ceasefire.