Jerusalem/Cairo: On Wednesday, Israel made a stunning announcement: the Rafah border crossing will soon be reopened — but in one direction only. Palestinians from Gaza will be allowed to leave toward Egypt, with no guarantee of ever returning.
Israeli officials claim this move is fully consistent with “hidden clauses” in the ceasefire agreement signed in January 2025. The announcement has triggered outrage across the Arab and Muslim world. Egypt immediately clarified that it has not coordinated with Israel on any such unilateral step.
Cairo insists that the Rafah crossing can only be used for humanitarian aid and medical evacuations — never for mass displacement.
On Friday, foreign ministers from eight Arab and Islamic countries issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s plan as “the forced expulsion of Palestinians.” The signatories are: the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, and Indonesia.
The ministers warned that any attempt to permanently uproot Gaza’s residents from their land would be a dangerous threat to regional stability and a flagrant violation of international law.
Millions of Palestinians in Gaza have already been displaced during 14 months of war. Palestinian officials say Israel is deliberately turning Rafah into an “exit-only” gate in order to repeat the 1948 Nakba on a new scale.
The international community is now watching to see whether Israel presses ahead with this unilateral interpretation or backs down under mounting pressure.
Sajjadali Nayani ✍️
