Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly rejected reports that Israel's security establishment was preparing to reopen the Erez crossing into Gaza for commercial traffic. Earlier reports suggested that defense officials were working toward reopening the crossing, with September 1 mentioned as a target date, though no final approval had been granted.
In a joint statement with the Defense Minister, Netanyahu's office clarified that no such directive had been issued by the political leadership. "There is no instruction to open the Erez crossing for goods," the statement read. "Israel's policy in Gaza is clear and has not changed: there will be no reconstruction before the dismantling of the Hamas terror organization from its weapons and the complete demilitarization of the Gaza Strip." The statement emphasized that the reported preparations did not reflect government policy and would not move forward.
