Hamas says Rafah closure to delay handover of Israeli hostage remains

19/10/2025 6:03

Hamas said Saturday that Israel's continued closure of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip will "delay recovery operations and the handover of bodies of Israeli hostages."



Hamas said in press statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to keep the crossing closed until further notice "constitutes a blatant breach of the ceasefire agreement and a repudiation of the commitments he made before mediators and guarantor parties..



Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said early Saturday that it had received the body of the 10th deceased Israeli hostage held in Gaza from Hamas, apart from all the remaining 20 living hostages.



On Saturday evening, the IDF updated that it received the bodies of two more deceased Israeli hostages.



A ceasefire, mediated by Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the United States, went into effect on Oct. 10. Its first phase includes the exchange of prisoners and detainees, the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces.



On Saturday, the Palestinian Embassy in Cairo said the Rafah border crossing will reopen on Monday to allow Palestinians residing in Egypt who wish to return to Gaza to pass.



Israel's military campaign has killed 68,116 Palestinians and injured 170,200 others since Oct. 7, 2023, according to Gaza's health authorities.



Despite the ceasefire, 27 Gazans have been killed and 143 injured since Oct. 11, the authorities said in an update on Saturday.