Israel-Hamas ceasefire live updates: Israeli security cabinet voting on deal
NBCJan 19
Gaza's Rafah Crossing With Egypt to Reopen
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Above: Egyptians protest in front of the Rafah crossing, rejecting the displacement of Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan on Jan. 31, 2025 in Rafah, Egypt. Image copyright: Ali Moustafa/Contributor/Getty Images Europe via Getty Images
The Facts
The EU restarted its civilian mission to monitor Gaza's Rafah crossing with Egypt on Friday, with the crossing being set to reopen on Saturday for medical evacuations after being closed last year due to an Israeli offensive. Palestinians in need of urgent healthcare will travel to Egypt on Saturday via the crossing.
As part of the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas, Israel agreed to reopen the Rafah crossing after the release of the remaining living female hostages, which was completed on Thursday. The World Health Organization (WHO) said over 12K Palestinians require medical evacuation.
The WHO said it hoped that it could bring around 50 patients a day through the crossing. Officials have indicated that the crossing is being reopened with a new security arrangement between Israel, Egypt, and the Palestinian Authority (PA), which partially governs the West Bank and rivals Hamas.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Trump's proposal only emboldens extremists in the Israeli government who have further stoked the conflict — thus why the Biden administration was against such a move. Furthermore, relocating Palestinians from Gaza could destabilize Jordan and Egypt, two critical US allies in the region.
Pro-Israel narrative
Trump understands that as long as Hamas and other radical Islamist groups remain on Israel's doorstep, there will always be more conflict and misery. Trump's suggestion to relocate the Palestinians is a move of compassion that would both ensure the safety of civilians and Israel's security.
Pro-Palestine narrative
Only the most ill-informed of people do not recognize that Trump's suggestion equates to the forcible deportation and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians — violating fundamental tenets of international law and the Geneva Conventions. Indeed, this was the plan all along, as even the Biden administration floated the idea of forcibly displacing Palestinians from Gaza.
