Netanyahu: Around 50 people will be allowed daily into Gaza through Rafah

Trucks line up to enter the Egyptian gate of the Rafah crossing, heading for inspection by Israeli authorities before entering the Gaza Strip, January 27, 2026. (AP/Mohamed Arafat)
Trucks line up to enter the Egyptian gate of the Rafah crossing, heading for inspection by Israeli authorities before entering the Gaza Strip, January 27, 2026. (AP/Mohamed Arafat)

The Rafah Crossing “will be open in both directions” when it finally resumes operations soon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirms.

He says he doesn’t know the exact number of pedestrians who will be allowed into Gaza every day, but estimates it at “50 people plus family members coming in.”

“We are not going to prevent anyone from leaving,” he adds.

Netanyahu says he believes “there will be no open access — it is not going to be opened for goods. People pass through — yes, people go out, people come in — but they are checked, thoroughly checked [by Israel].”

He says the opening of the Rafah Crossing was agreed by Israel in Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan, but was conditional on Hamas meeting its obligations in the first phase of the plan, which has now been achieved with the locating and return of the final deceased hostage, Ran Gvili.

And he asserts that Israel will continue to maintain overall security control at Rafah.

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