As various parties, including the United States and the European Union, continue intensive efforts to try to reactivate the Rafah land crossing controlled by Israeli forces since May 7 of this year, it appears that Israeli obstacles are hindering this process. Informed sources revealed today, Tuesday, that the international efforts to manage the crossings (primarily Rafah and Karam Abu Salem, as well as other crossings that were recently opened in northern Gaza) are currently facing Israeli impediments. The sources added to the Arab World News Agency that "Israel refuses to allow the Palestinian Authority to resume its role at the Rafah crossing, a role it performed before Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007 and the EU mission withdrew following that control." One source emphasized that international will is crystallizing towards the Palestinian Authority resuming its duties at the crossing. They added, "In any case, any official Palestinian presence at the crossing will not occur in the presence of Israeli tanks there."
Earlier, the source revealed that several proposals regarding the operation of the Rafah crossing had not reached consensus up to this moment, but a Palestinian-Egyptian track emphasized the need for a complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from the crossing and its surroundings, with talks to be held with Hamas to ensure that the crossing operates without disruption. The reference agreement for the handover of the crossing would be similar to the transfer of the General Authority for Borders and Crossings at Rafah at the end of 2017, during the reconciliation agreement with Hamas when the Palestinian Authority resumed its work there.
Furthermore, it was mentioned that the Authority, represented by its employees, would initially return to the Palestinian side of Karam Abu Salem to oversee the entry of relief trucks into Gaza as part of a U.S.-Egyptian-Palestinian agreement, although no date has been set for the reopening of the Rafah crossing. However, the source linked the negotiations underway regarding a truce in the sector to the operation of the Rafah crossing for the movement of individuals. The Salah al-Din gate for goods had been "temporarily" replaced by Karam Abu Salem according to the aforementioned agreement.
The current discussions revolve around having the crossings managed by an official Palestinian administration with the possibility of a third party through Egyptian-Palestinian agreement, with the proposed third party being the European Union, which had previously been present as an observer. The European Union explicitly announced yesterday, Monday, that it intends to restore its role as an observer at the Rafah crossing separating Gaza from Egyptian territory under the crossings agreement established following the Israeli army's withdrawal from Gaza in 2005. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell stated that he received the green light from EU ministers to reactivate the European monitoring mission at the Rafah crossing.
