Israeli PM Netanyahu orders Rafah border to remain closed until Hamas hands over bodies

News Topical, Digital Desk : Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt will remain closed until further notice. He also said that its reopening will depend on whether Hamas hands over the bodies of the dead hostages.

Netanyahu's statement came shortly after the Palestinian Embassy in Egypt announced that the Rafah crossing, the main route for Gazans to enter and exit the territory, would reopen on Monday.

What did Hamas say?

Hamas said in a statement late Saturday that Netanyahu's decision "is a flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement and a denial of his promises to the mediators and guarantor parties." It also said that the continued closure of the Rafah crossing would prevent the entry of necessary equipment to search for the bodies of hostages under the rubble, thus delaying the recovery and handover of the bodies.

What did Israel say?

Israel said it had recovered the bodies of two more hostages late Saturday, meaning 12 of the 28 bodies handed over to Israel under a US-brokered ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas last week.

Israel says Hamas has been too slow in returning bodies. The dispute over the return of bodies highlights the weakness of the ceasefire and still has the potential to jeopardize the deal as well as other major issues in US President Donald Trump's 20-point plan to end the war. But Israel says Hamas has been too slow in handing over the bodies of the dead hostages it still holds.

Meanwhile, Hamas says it will take time to recover some of the bodies amid the massive devastation in Gaza. Under the deal, Israel is required to return 360 Palestinian bodies in exchange for the dead hostages, and so far, it has handed over 15 bodies for every Israeli body. Rafah has been largely closed since May 2024.

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