Israel accused of ‘manoeuvring’ as it says Gaza crossing open one way only

Israel says the important Rafah crossing with Egypt volition unfastened successful the coming days – but lone for Palestinians to permission Gaza.

Israel said it received the assemblage of a captive from Gaza done the International Committee of the Red Cross and added it volition statesman allowing Palestinians to permission done a borderline crossing with Egypt – but not return.

The announcements travel statements from the equipped wings of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad saying they would manus implicit the assemblage astatine 5pm (15:00 GMT) connected Wednesday aft it was recovered successful bluish Gaza.

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“The coffin volition past beryllium transferred to Israel, to the Health Ministry National Center of Forensic Medicine. Upon completion of the recognition process and arsenic per the findings, ceremonial notification volition beryllium delivered to the family,” the Israeli subject said successful a post connected X.

This comes a time aft Israel said remains antecedently transferred by Hamas were not linked to immoderate of the bodies of captives inactive held successful the Gaza Strip.

The handover of remains forms portion of a United States-brokered program aimed astatine ending Israel’s genocidal war connected the Palestinian radical successful Gaza. A fragile ceasefire continues to clasp contempt persistent Israeli killings crossed the enclave.

Islamic Jihad and Hamas soldiers transport a assemblage container successful bluish Gaza connected Wednesday [AFP]

Under the presumption of the ceasefire, the long-closed Rafah crossing is to beryllium opened for aesculapian evacuations and question to and from Gaza. The World Health Organization says determination are much than 16,500 sick and wounded radical who request to permission Gaza for aesculapian care.

It was not instantly wide erstwhile the borderline crossing would beryllium opened, however, due to the fact that of a quality Israel is having with Egypt.

Israel says Palestinians volition not beryllium capable to instrumentality to Gaza done the crossing until the past captive remains are returned from Gaza. Egypt, which controls the different side, said the crossing volition unfastened lone if question goes some ways.

Twenty surviving abductees and the remains of 26 others person been returned to Israel since the ceasefire began successful aboriginal October. Two bodies inactive successful Gaza are those of Ran Gvili, an Israeli constabulary officer, and Thai nationalist Sudthisak Rinthalak, a workplace labourer.

Israel’s connection has raised fears it could pb to the imperishable displacement of Palestinians, thing far-right ministers successful Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hardline authorities have promoted for months.

‘Israeli manoeuvring’

Egypt’s State Information Service, citing an unnamed official, rejected the claim, saying Cairo has not agreed to immoderate program to unfastened the crossing for outbound question only.

Any statement with Israel, the authoritative said, would necessitate opening Rafah successful some directions successful enactment with the existent ceasefire plan. The root denied coordination with Israel implicit the reopening.

Hussein Haridy, a erstwhile Egyptian adjunct overseas minister, said Egypt remains “committed to UN Security Council Resolution 2803, adopted connected October 17 past year, which endorsed a ceasefire plan”.

All crossings should beryllium opened nether the resolution, and Egypt is moving with the European Union and the Palestinian Authority connected operating the posts, including Rafah, erstwhile conditions allow, helium told Al Jazeera from Cairo.

“We request to run the Rafah crossing according to the [US President Donald] Trump bid plan. Ever since 1948, the day Israel was established, we’ve go accustomed to Israeli manoeuvring erstwhile it comes to implementing ceasefire agreements,” said Haridy.

“Having said that, we volition instrumentality Israel to task if they don’t instrumentality the Security Council resolution.”

Reporting from Ramallah successful the occupied West Bank, Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh said Israel’s announcement reflects a signifier of “drip-dropping” its obligations nether the ceasefire agreement.

Odeh said Israel intends to support a veto connected who tin exit, including aesculapian cases, and is not allowing thousands of Palestinians who person registered to instrumentality to Gaza to bash so.

Gaza’s Health Ministry and the Government Media Office accidental Israeli forces person killed 357 Palestinians successful the archetypal 50 days of the truce.

Israel’s warfare connected Gaza has killed astatine slightest 70,117 Palestinians and wounded 170,999 since October 2023. A full of 1,139 radical were killed successful Israel during the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks, and astir 200 were taken captive.