Egyptian official: Israel unilaterally opening Rafah crossing would violate Gaza truce

Diaa Rashwan, head of Egypt’s State Information Service, says in interviews with Arabic media that Cairo has a “veto” against Israel’s decision to reopen the Rafah Border Crossing, and that doing so would be a violation of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza.

The comments come after a source in the SIS, the Egyptian government media agency, was cited in Egyptian media denying Israel’s statement that the crossing would reopen in the coming days for Palestinians leaving Gaza. Trump’s plan says “we will encourage people to stay” in Gaza.

“Holding onto the right to stay in Gaza is firmly established in international law, and anything contrary to that would be a war crime,” Diaa is quoted by Egyptian media telling the Cairo News Channel.

Speaking later to Al Jazeera, he says, “the displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip is a red line.”

“We won’t accept the unilateral opening of the Rafah Crossing in violation of President Trump’s plan,” he says.

He also blames Israel for not advancing to the second stage of Trump’s plan for Gaza, and says the failure to progress is “part of the internal political crisis in Israel.”

رئيس الهيئة العامة للاستعلامات ضياء رشوان: لا يوجد شيء إطلاقاً اسمه التنسيق بين #مصر والجانب الإسرائيلي حول فتح #معبر_رفح وذلك خلال تصريحات متلفزة#مزيد pic.twitter.com/B196sXq6JB

— مزيد – Mazid (@MazidNews) December 3, 2025