Egypt said that Israel does not possess accurate information and has not coordinated with Egypt regarding the claims circulated by Israeli media outlets.
Egypt on Wednesday denied claims that it had reached an agreement with Israel to open the Rafah crossing in one direction for Palestinians to leave the Gaza Strip, according to the State Information Service, which is affiliated with the Presidency.
The head of the agency, Diaa Rashwan, told Al Jazeera that Egypt’s position has been consistent. He said President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has long outlined two red lines for Egypt: first, the rejection of any form of displacement—whether voluntary or forced—as it amounts to the liquidation of the Palestinian cause; and second, the rejection of any threat to Egypt’s national security.
Rashwan noted that the Rafah crossing was open early in the crisis, allowing Palestinians stranded in Egypt to return to Gaza. Israel later closed the crossing unilaterally and subsequently destroyed it from the Palestinian side. He added that throughout this period—up to the current plan of US President Donald Trump, guaranteed by Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye, and the United States—Egypt’s position has not changed.
Egypt says it has not agreed to one-way reopening of Rafah, insisting crossing must allow entry and exit, after Israel announced plans for departures onlyhttps://t.co/kmCKRIjdzL
— Türkiye Today (@turkiyetodaycom) December 3, 2025
According to Rashwan, the twelfth clause of Trump’s plan stipulates that no residents of Gaza may be displaced, whether voluntarily or by force. Even those who leave voluntarily retain the right to return, a principle Egypt applies when determining the status of the crossing from its side.
He stressed that Israel does not possess accurate information and has not coordinated with Egypt regarding the claims circulated by Israeli media outlets.
Rashwan added that reports of coordination to open Rafah for the departure of Palestinians are false. Such coordination has not occurred and will not occur, he said, adding that Egypt would never support removing Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, as this would contradict its longstanding and publicly stated position.
Israel’s Announcement
Israel announced on Wednesday that the Rafah crossing “will open in the coming days exclusively for the exit of residents” from the Gaza Strip to Egypt.
“The residents’ exit through the Rafah Crossing will be facilitated through coordination with Egypt, following security approval by Israel and under the supervision of the European Union mission, similar to the mechanism that operated in January 2025,” the Israeli military body, COGAT (Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories), said on X.
COGAT said the move was in “accordance with the ceasefire agreement and a directive of the political echelon.”
📍UPDATE:
In accordance with the ceasefire agreement and a directive of the political echelon, the Rafah Crossing will open in the coming days exclusively for the exit of residents from the Gaza Strip to Egypt.
The residents’ exit through the Rafah Crossing will be facilitated…
— COGAT (@cogatonline) December 3, 2025
The crossing was originally scheduled to open as part of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, which came into effect on October 10. However, Israel did not adhere to this.
Closed in May 2024
Israeli occupation forces closed the Rafah crossing at the start of their military operation in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip in early May 2024, preventing the entry or exit of Gaza residents, Al-Jazeera Arabic reported. It also allowed only meager quantities of aid into the besieged enclave, far below the daily needs of the Palestinians, leading to an unprecedented famine.
Israel announced its intent to continue violating the ceasefire term regarding the Rafah crossing. It now says it will open it, but only for Palestinians to leave. Israel is violating nearly every point of the agreement in one form or another and continues to kill daily.
— jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) December 3, 2025
Hamas and Israel reached a US-backed ceasefire agreement brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey.
Over 16,500 Need Medical Evacuations
On Tuesday, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric announced at a press conference that “more than 16,500 patients” still require life-saving medical care outside of the Strip.
Israel Kills Civilians, Targets Gaza Areas as Search for Israeli Captive Continues
“We continue to call for the opening of all available border crossings and corridors — including so that patients can seek treatment in the West Bank — and stresses the need for unimpeded access for international emergency medical teams to enter Gaza,” Dujarric stated.
Despite the ceasefire agreement, Israel has continued its violations and targeted Palestinians outside the areas to which it withdrew under the agreement, resulting in the killings of over 350 Palestinians with over 900 injured, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Over 70,000 Killed
Starting on October 7, 2023, the Israeli military, with American support, launched a genocidal war against the people of Gaza. This campaign has so far resulted in the deaths of over 70,000 Palestinians, with more than 170,000 wounded. The vast majority of the population has been displaced, and the destruction of infrastructure is unprecedented since World War II. Thousands of people are still missing.
The Myth of Total Victory and the Reality on the Ground: Is Israel Winning Its Seven-Front War?
In addition to the military assault, the Israeli blockade has caused a man-made famine, leading to the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians—mostly children—with hundreds of thousands more at risk.
Despite widespread international condemnation, little has been done to hold Israel accountable. The nation is currently under investigation for genocide by the International Court of Justice, while accused war criminals, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are officially wanted by the International Criminal Court.
(PC, AJA)
