‘Gaza’s Rafah crossing to reopen Tuesday’

AFP :

An EU mission at the Rafah border point between Gaza and Egypt will resume following the ceasefire, with the pedestrian crossing due to reopen on October 14, Italy said Friday.

The EUBAM monitoring mission is intended to provide a neutral, third-party presence at the key crossing and involves police from Italy, Spain and France. It was deployed in January but suspended in March.

In a statement, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said he had authorised the resumption of Italian operations within the EU mission for the reopening of the crossing under the same conditions as in January.

It follows the ceasefire agreed between Israel and Hamas under a truce and hostage-release deal proposed by US President Donald Trump.

“On October 14, 2025, in compliance with the Trump agreement, in coordination with the European Union and the parties, the Rafah crossing will be opened alternately in two directions, exiting towards Egypt and entering towards Gaza,” Crosetto said.

He said Israel was “working to restore the logistical functionality of the crossing’s infrastructure as quickly as possible.”

Crosetto also said that “approximately 600 trucks carrying humanitarian aid will flow into Gaza from other (non-Rafah) crossings every day”.

In January, the EU said the main objective of the mission was to coordinate and facilitate the daily transit of up to 300 wounded and sick people.

Crosetto said Friday: “The passage of personnel will not be limited to serious medical cases, but will be extended to anyone who wishes (subject to the mutual approval of Israel and Egypt).”

The EU set up the civilian mission in 2005 to help monitor the Rafah crossing, but it was suspended two years later after the Palestinian group Hamas took control of Gaza.