Report: Egypt pushing plan for Palestinian Authority to take over Gaza’s Rafah Crossing

A “meaningful dialogue” is underway between Egypt and the Palestinian Authority for the latter to assume responsibility for the Rafah Crossing between the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula, the Kan public broadcaster reports, citing unnamed sources familiar with the details.

The report says that the Egyptians aim for this to be the first element of a plan to have the West Bank-based PA gradually take over other strategic places in Gaza after the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, despite the Israeli leadership consistently rejecting the idea of handing the PA a role in ruling postwar Gaza.

Senior PA official Hussein al-Sheikh has in recent days met an Egyptian official in Ramallah to discuss the plan, which is strongly supported by Cairo and likely also backed by the US, the report says, adding that the intention is to have the PA openly take control of the crossing, without masking or hiding its involvement.