Vehicles loaded with humanitarian assist on the Egyptian facet of the Rafah crossing wait to cross into the Gaza Strip early on Oct. 15, 2025.
STR/AFP through Getty Photos
conceal caption
toggle caption
STR/AFP through Getty Photos
AMMAN, Jordan — Israel on Wednesday saved closed an important border crossing from Egypt to Gaza and reduce in half the quantity of assist allowed to enter in retaliation for what it says are delays within the handover of hostage our bodies by the militant group Hamas.
The alternate of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees and the handover of our bodies was central to the U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Gaza agreed final week.
An Israeli safety official, talking on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t approved to talk publicly, advised NPR that “contrary to reports, the Rafah Crossing did not open today.”
Israeli media had reported that the Rafah crossing, closed since Israel seized the Gaza facet of the crossing final 12 months, can be reopened in accordance with the ceasefire settlement.
The ceasefire on Wednesday was largely holding, though Hamas described Israeli assaults in Gaza as violations of the settlement.
Israel pulled again forces final week however nonetheless retains management of greater than 50% of the Gaza Strip. It warned Gazans to not strategy wherever the place its forces are positioned, particularly warning of hazard in six areas within the north and south of Gaza.
Israel for months has restricted shipments of meals and drugs to the devastated Palestinian territory, whose borders it controls. It had pledged as a part of the ceasefire to permit in 600 truckloads of humanitarian assist per day – the minimal quantity assist organizations say is required to maintain famine from spreading.
Olga Cherevko, a spokesperson for the U.N. Workplace for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Gaza, mentioned Tuesday that Israel had knowledgeable them they’d permit solely 300 assist vehicles per day into Gaza beginning Wednesday and it could proceed to limit gasoline and gasoline shipments.
The Israeli army arm chargeable for the border mentioned restrictions had been being taken as a result of “Hamas violated the agreement regarding the release of the bodies of the hostages,” in line with Reuters.
Hamas has now handed over eight our bodies to the worldwide Pink Cross for switch to Israel. It has mentioned it wants extra time to get better one other 20 our bodies as after two years of intense Israeli airstrikes not all of the burial websites are recognized.
Below the U.S.-brokered ceasefire settlement, if Hamas didn’t hand over the our bodies by Monday it was obligated to share data and “exert maximum efforts” to hold out the handover as quickly as potential.
On Monday, Hamas handed over the final 20 dwelling hostages to Israel. In alternate Israel launched about 1,700 prisoners, together with girls and kids, taken from Gaza and held with out cost. Israel additionally freed 242 Palestinian prisoners serving long-term sentences, sending greater than half of them into exile.
Regardless of an agreed components of Israel handing over 15 our bodies of Palestinians for each Israeli physique it receives, solely the stays of 45 Palestinians have been handed over.
Abu Bakr Bashir contributed reporting from Sheffield, England, and Shir David contributed reporting from Tel Aviv.
