Egypt shuts door on Palestinian relocation via Rafah
Shafaq News – Cairo
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, on Sunday, reaffirmed that the Rafah crossing will not be used to “relocate Palestinians,” noting its role is restricted to humanitarian aid and medical evacuations.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, he explained that Cairo maintains ongoing contacts with Israel regarding the crossing and that Egypt’s position on its operation remains “clear and firm,” with humanitarian access as the central focus.
On the truce between Hamas and Israel, Abdelatty pointed out that the first phase demonstrated progress despite Israeli violations, stressing that the second phase is critical as it involves Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Read more: Gaza Ceasefire - Phase 1: What we know so far
He also backed the deployment of an international force to monitor compliance with the ceasefire, describing it as a peacekeeping mission. Discussions with Palestinian factions, he added, focused on regulating weapons in Gaza and consolidating security under a unified authority to prevent renewed escalation.
Meanwhile, Gaza authorities report persistent Israeli breaches of the ceasefire, including artillery fire, airstrikes, raids, and demolitions. According to the Government Media Office, more than 500 incidents have been documented since the agreement began, including 164 shootings at civilians, 25 incursions beyond designated lines, 280 strikes, and 118 demolition operations.
Since the ceasefire took effect on 11 October 2025, Gaza has recorded 367 deaths, 953 injuries, and 624 medical evacuations. The cumulative toll of the conflict since 7 October 2023 has reached 70,354 fatalities and 171,030 wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
