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Hamas Demands Reopening of Rafah Crossing

Hamas has responded to President Trump’s emigration plan by demanding, as part of the ongoing hostage deal negotiations, the reopening of the Rafah Crossing to allow Palestinians—including Hamas members—to return to Gaza, according to a report on Kan Reshet Bet’s midday news program. According to Palestinian sources, Israel is expected to accept the demand with a high degree of likelihood. They characterize it as a symbolic and nationalistic move by Hamas. It remains unclear whether Hamas intends to bring back senior operatives, lower-level members, or both. If approved, this would mark the first time since the start of the war that Palestinians would be permitted to enter the Gaza Strip via Rafah. It would effectively open a breach in the Philadelphi Corridor heading into Gaza—despite the fact that Israeli forces still control that corridor. Back in March, as part of previous hostage negotiations and a deal with Hamas, Israel allowed wounded Hamas terrorists to leave Gaza for medical treatment and rehabilitation in Egypt via the Rafah Crossing. In practice, even after Israel declared all border crossings shut, members of Hamas’s military wing continued to flow into Egypt.