Egypt Calls for Israeli Withdrawal from Gaza as Talks Intensify on Reopening Rafah
Egypt urged Israel to withdraw from Gaza and reopen the Rafah crossing as US, Türkiye, and Hamas officials held parallel talks on the ceasefire’s second phase.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called on Sunday for Israel’s full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and the reopening of the Rafah border crossing, stressing the need to implement the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
The call came during Abdelatty’s meeting in Cairo with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, where the two officials discussed bilateral relations and regional developments, according to a statement from Egypt’s Foreign Ministry.
The meeting reviewed ways to strengthen the strategic partnership between Egypt and the United States and expand cooperation in political and economic fields. Discussions also addressed developments in Gaza, Sudan, the Horn of Africa, and Egypt’s water security.
Abdelatty emphasized the importance of implementing the commitments outlined in the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan. He underscored the need to support the national committee tasked with administering Gaza, ensure Israel’s withdrawal from the Strip, and move toward early recovery and reconstruction.
He also called for the swift deployment of an international stabilization force to monitor the ceasefire, and for reopening the Rafah crossing in both directions to facilitate humanitarian aid and civilian movement.
The Egyptian foreign minister welcomed Egypt’s participation in Trump’s so-called “Board of Peace,” an international framework that, according to its charter, aims to promote stability, governance, and long-term peace in conflict-affected areas.
Reports of Agreement on Rafah
On the same day, Israel’s Army Radio reported that Washington had reached an understanding with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office regarding the reopening of the Rafah crossing. Israeli news outlet Walla said the crossing could reopen later this week.
Israeli media had earlier reported that operational arrangements for the crossing were effectively finalized, including the establishment of an additional crossing under Israeli administration with remote security screening.
Last week, Ali Shaath, head of the Palestinian National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, said the Rafah crossing would reopen next week, though Israeli authorities have not publicly confirmed the timeline.
Türkiye–Hamas Talks in Istanbul
Parallel diplomatic activity took place in Türkiye, where Ibrahim Kalin, head of Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT), met Saturday in Istanbul with a delegation from the Palestinian group Hamas, according to security sources.
Kalin held talks with Khalil al-Hayya, a member of Hamas’ Political Bureau and head of its negotiation team, as well as other Hamas officials. The discussions focused on the Gaza ceasefire agreement as it moves into its second phase.
According to sources, the two sides agreed to coordinate efforts to increase humanitarian aid, reopen the Rafah crossing in both directions, begin work on the National Committee for Gaza Management, and address related issues.
The Hamas delegation expressed gratitude to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for Türkiye’s mediation and guarantor role in ceasefire efforts, as well as Ankara’s growing involvement in the second phase of the agreement.
US Envoy Witkoff, Kushner Arrive in Israel to Discuss Gaza Ceasefire Phase Two
The ceasefire agreement has not halted the Israeli war and genocide in Gaza, which began in October 2023 and has killed more than 71,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and injured over 171,000, according to Palestinian health authorities.
Despite the ceasefire framework, Gaza remains under severe restrictions, and reported violations have continued. Humanitarian agencies say that without the sustained reopening of the Rafah crossing and the easing of Israeli controls, humanitarian access, medical evacuations, and reconstruction efforts will remain severely limited.
(Anadolul, Al-Mayadeen, PC)