Israel: Israel announced Friday it will reopen Gaza's Rafah border crossing with Egypt in both directions starting Sunday, allowing limited movement of people, after two years of closure. The Israeli army stated that this move is part of the ceasefire agreement in the besieged Gaza Strip.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Israeli army highlighted that the reopening will begin on Sunday, February 1, permitting limited movement of individuals. The army clarified that the exit from and entry into Gaza via the crossing will be coordinated with Egypt and will require prior security clearance by Israel, under the supervision of a European Union mission.

The reopening aims to facilitate the return of residents who left Gaza during the conflict, following coordination with Egypt and securing Israeli security approval. Despite the announcement, the head of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, Ali Shaath, proposed a different timeline. As reported by the Egyptian state-run Al-Qahera News channel, Shaath declared that the crossing will officially reopen on Monday, February 2, with Sunday serving as a trial day to test operational mechanisms.

In a Facebook post, Shaath explained that the decision was made after finalizing operational arrangements among the relevant parties. He confirmed that the Rafah crossing will officially open in both directions from Monday, February 2, 2026, with Sunday designated as a 'trial day' to ensure the operational mechanisms are functioning correctly.

The Rafah Crossing has been entirely closed by Israel since May 2024 as part of its two-year offensive on the Gaza Strip. This offensive has resulted in the deaths of more than 71,600 people, predominantly women and children, since October 2023.