Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt set to reopen next week, says Palestinian official

Gaza’s border crossing with Egypt will reopen next week after largely being shut during the Israel-Hamas war, the Palestinian technocrat leader backed by Washington to administer the enclave announced on Thursday.

Ali Shaath made the announcement by video link during an event in Davos hosted by President Donald Trump, who convened a group of leaders to formally launch a “Board of Peace” initially focused on cementing Gaza’s ceasefire.

A key unfulfilled element of the ceasefire, brokered by Trump in October, has been the reopening of Gaza’s main gateway to the world to allow the entry and exit of Palestinians.

“I am pleased to announce the Rafah crossing will open next week in both directions. For Palestinians in Gaza, Rafah is more than a gate. It is a lifeline and symbol of opportunity,” Shaath said.

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“Opening Rafah signals that Gaza is no longer closed to the future and to the war,” Shaath said.

There was no immediate comment from Israel, which has controlled the Rafah crossing since 2024.

The ceasefire deal left Israel in control of more than half of Gaza, including the area that abuts the border crossing. Hamas controls the remainder of the enclave.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Firstpost staff.)