Netanyahu refuses to open the Rafah crossing and Hamas condemns

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today, Saturday, that the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt will remain closed until further notice, and that its reopening will depend on the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) handing over the bodies of Israeli prisoners.

Netanyahu's statements came after the Palestinian embassy in Cairo announced the reopening of the Rafah crossing starting tomorrow, Monday, "to enable Palestinian citizens residing in the Arab Republic of Egypt who wish to return to the Gaza Strip to travel."

Hamas stated in a statement that Netanyahu's decision, which is subject to the International Criminal Court, "to prevent the opening of the Rafah crossing until further notice is a blatant violation of the terms of the ceasefire agreement and a denial of the commitments he made before the mediators and guarantor parties."

It added in the statement that "the continued closure of the Rafah crossing and the prevention of the exit of the wounded and sick, the movement of citizens in both directions, the prevention of the entry of necessary equipment for search operations for the missing under the rubble, and the prevention of the entry of equipment and specialized teams to examine the bodies and verify their identities will delay the processes of retrieving and delivering the bodies."

On another note, the U.S. State Department said late yesterday, Saturday, that it had received "reliable reports" indicating an imminent violation of the agreement by Hamas against the residents of Gaza.

The department added in a statement, "If Hamas proceeds with this attack, measures will be taken to protect the residents of Gaza and maintain the safety of the ceasefire."

No details were provided in this regard.

U.S. President Donald Trump had said he would consider allowing Israeli forces to resume fighting in Gaza if Hamas did not comply with its commitments under the agreement he mediated.

There are still significant obstacles to Trump's plan to end the war in the Gaza Strip, and key issues related to disarming Hamas, how to manage Gaza, forming an "international stabilization force," and the necessary steps to establish a Palestinian state have not yet been resolved.