PM says Israel will reopen Rafah crossing when all hostages returned, calls on Egypt to let Gazans exit

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will reopen the Rafah border crossing after it receives the three remaining deceased hostages from Gaza, adding that Israel is “very close to completing” the process.

“We agreed that we will open the crossing after we receive all our hostages. We are very close to completing this process — it’s set to happen — and once that is completed, we will open the crossing,” the premier says in his interview with the Abu Ali Express Telegram channel published this evening.

The remains of three hostages — Dror Or, Ran Gvili and Sudthisak Rinthalak — are still being held in Gaza.

Netanyahu adds that, once all the hostages are returned and the crossing is reopened, he “will be very happy to see Egypt allowing any Gazan who wants to leave [through the crossing] to do so — because that has not happened until today.”

“Any Gazan who wants to leave should be able to, and that right has been denied to them,” he continues, adding that Washington’s 20-point plan for Gaza “included that right: it sets out the principle that any Gazan who wants to leave can leave. You’re not expelling anyone, but if a person wants to leave, let them leave. If Egypt accepts that — I think that’s very positive.”

The Palestinian embassy in Egypt has pushed for the reopening of the crossing, which has been largely closed since Israeli forces entered Rafah in May 2024, to allow Palestinians residing in Egypt to return to Gaza. Egypt has repeatedly vowed to block any “displacement” of Gazans from the wartorn Gaza Strip, calling it a “red line” for Cairo.