Israel Reopens Rafah Crossing in Gaza After Two-Year Closure

Israel announced it will reopen Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt in both directions starting Sunday, February 1, allowing limited movement of people after two years of closure. The Israeli army stated this decision aligns with a ceasefire agreement and will require coordination with Egypt and prior security clearance from Israel, supervised by a European Union mission. The reopening will also facilitate the return of residents who left Gaza during the war, pending security approval. No immediate comments were made by Palestinian or Egyptian authorities.