From the Liveblog of
Friday, January 31, 2025
EU restarts civilian mission to monitor Rafah Border Crossing, says foreign policy chief Kallas
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleThe European Union has restarted its civilian mission to monitor the Rafah Border Crossing between Gaza and Egypt, according to the bloc’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
Kallas announced on Monday that there was broad agreement among member states’ foreign ministers that the EU Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) could play a “decisive role” in supporting the hostage-ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that came into effect last week.
“The EU’s civilian border mission deploys today to the Rafah Crossing at the request of the Palestinians and the Israelis. It will support Palestinian border personnel and allow the transfer of individuals out of Gaza, including those who need medical care,” she posts on X.
Photos posted to social media show EU staff and vehicles at the Rafah crossing.
In the coming hours, the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Southern Gaza will be opened. Al-Arabiya, citing their sources, stated that 200 wounded people will be allowed to leave the Gaza strip tomorrow.
This comes as officials with the EU-led Security Task Force arrived… pic.twitter.com/pCaV5UTsVI
— AMK Mapping ???????? (@AMK_Mapping_) January 31, 2025
Europe is here to help: the EU’s civilian border mission deploys today to the Rafah Crossing at the request of the Palestinians and the Israelis.
It will support Palestinian border personnel and allow the transfer of individuals out of Gaza, including those who need medical care pic.twitter.com/vDXVG0T43B
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) January 31, 2025
Both Palestinian Authority and Hamas officials say the crossing will now be run by members of the PA and European monitors.
The Palestinian officials say 50 injured fighters and 50 wounded civilians, along with individuals escorting them, will be permitted to pass through the crossing, along with another 100 people, most likely students, who will be allowed through on humanitarian grounds.
There is no official comment from Israel on the reopening of the crossing, which comes under a hostage-ceasefire deal with the Hamas terror group.
The Times of Israel Community.