Netanyahu's Office: We agreed to open the Rafah crossing in a limited way for the passage of individuals only, under our full control mechanism

The Rafah crossing is expected to open this weekend. The office of the Israeli occupation prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, issued a decisive statement on Sunday evening, outlining the official position on the reopening of the Rafah border crossing. Netanyahu linked this step to the completion of a specific military mission and the implementation of strict monitoring programs, within the framework of recent understandings with the administration of US President Donald Trump.

Netanyahu's office confirmed that the occupation would open the Rafah crossing once "the process of locating the body of detainee Ran Gvili is completed." Reports indicate that the Israeli occupation army is racing against time in extensive excavation operations in the Zeitoun neighborhood and northern Gaza to recover the remains, considering that "exhausting the search operation" is the only guarantee for moving forward with the agreement with Washington.

The statement clarified that the Israeli approval includes strict field controls, represented by: Restricted passage: The crossing will be allowed to open in a limited way for the passage of individuals only in the first phase, and the operation will be subject to a full Israeli control mechanism, to ensure that no elements or materials exit or enter without direct security scrutiny. Agreement with Washington: This mechanism comes in implementation of the understandings concluded with the United States to facilitate humanitarian cases within "Trump's peace plan."

Netanyahu's office stressed that the opening of the crossing was from the beginning conditional on the return of all hostages (alive and dead). The statement placed responsibility on the Hamas movement, demanding that it make "its utmost effort" to return them, considering that any delay in this file will lead to the disruption of the opening of the crossing or its re-closure.

This announcement represents an attempt by Netanyahu to balance American pressure aimed at easing the blockade, with the demands of the hardline "Israeli right" that refuses to make any "concessions" without heavy security costs.

The army's success in finding Gvili's body remains the trigger that will determine the moment of crisis relief at the Rafah border.