Saudi newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reported today (Wednesday) that during a meeting in Cairo between Mossad chief Dadi Barnea, Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, and Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad, an agreement was reached for the Palestinian Authority to manage the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing in Gaza, under UN international supervision and monitoring. However, no implementation date has been set, according to a source at the Cairo operations center.
The report indicates a dispute arose between Israeli and Egyptian officials regarding security arrangements along the Philadelphi Corridor. A source from the joint supervisory team stated that "the gaps are technical and logistical and will be resolved."
According to the Saudi report, Israel proposed implementing partial withdrawals from the area, but Egypt rejected this idea, insisting on a complete withdrawal and return to "pre-war conditions."
The meetings, which began Monday in Cairo and extended into early Tuesday morning, reportedly included discussions about potentially modifying the crossing agreement at a later stage, with current arrangements being described as "temporary for this phase only."
However, the Prime Minister's Office has issued a strong denial of the report. In a statement, they declared: "The report is incorrect despite the Palestinian Authority's attempts to create a false impression of their control over the crossing. Under the agreement, IDF forces surround the crossing, and nothing passes through without IDF and Shin Bet control, monitoring, and prior approval."
The statement elaborated that "technical management within the crossing is handled by non-Hamas Gazans, vetted by the Shin Bet, who have been managing civilian services in the Strip such as electricity, water, and sewage since the war began. Their work is supervised by the international EUBAM force. The Palestinian Authority's only practical involvement is their stamp on passports, which under existing international arrangements is required for Gazans to exit the Strip for entry or reception in other countries. This arrangement applies to Phase One of the framework and will be reviewed later."
The Rafah crossing, which served as a central point for aid transfer to Gaza at the start of the war, has been under IDF control since May of last year.
The Prime Minster's Office just issued this statement in response to the PA's wishful thinking:
"The government today clarified the operational control of border crossings into Gaza, countering claims by the Palestinian Authority about their role in managing these checkpoints.
Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) maintain complete security control of the crossing perimeter, with all movement of people and goods requiring prior IDF and Shin Bet security clearance.
Inside the crossing facility, day-to-day operations are handled by vetted Gazan civilians who have no ties to Hamas. These individuals, who have passed Shin Bet security screening, are the same personnel who have been managing essential civilian infrastructure like power, water, and sewage systems since the war began.
The European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) oversees these operations. While the Palestinian Authority does provide necessary passport stamps—required under international protocols for Gazans to travel abroad—their involvement is purely administrative.
These arrangements are part of Phase One of the current framework and will be subject to future review."
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