Israel's security cabinet met on Sunday to discuss the opening of Gaza's Rafah Crossing, days after US President Donald Trump announced the shift to Phase B of his 20-point plan.
A key issue under discussion is the reopening of the Rafah Crossing. While Israel has stated in recent weeks that it does not oppose allowing Gazans to exit via Rafah, officials insist that reentry from Egypt into Gaza will not be permitted until the body of the last hostage still held there, Ran Gvilli, is returned.
The IDF announced on Sunday that it is in mid-operation to try to find Gvili's body. Military intelligence indicates that his remains are in a Muslim cemetery in the Shejaiay Darah-Tuffah portion of northern Gaza on the Israeli side of the yellow line.
US announces opening of Rafah Crossing
The United States, along with mediators and the newly established Gaza technocratic government, has announced plans to reopen the Rafah Crossing in both directions starting Monday.
But ahead of the cabinet meeting, senior Israeli ministers reiterated their opposition to reopening the crossing for inbound traffic before Gvilli’s remains were returned.
Regardless of the final decision, Israel has emphasized that if Gazans are allowed to reenter through Rafah, they will be subject to additional screening. These checks would take place at a facility several meters from the crossing itself, as Israel will not have a presence inside the terminal. The aim is to prevent the entry of individuals deemed a security threat and to block the smuggling of dual-use items that could be used to manufacture weapons or dig tunnels.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with US presidential envoys Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Aryeh Lightstone, and Josh Greenbaum. Despite the lack of a released photograph, a rare omission, both American and Israeli officials described the meeting as “positive.”
“The United States and Israel maintain a long-standing close relationship based on coordination and shared priorities,” Witkoff wrote in a post on X. “The discussion was positive, with both sides aligned on the next steps and on the importance of continued cooperation on all critical issues in the region.”