Israel will not reopen the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt on Wednesday and will reduce the flow of humanitarian aid into the enclave, according to reports from Israeli media and Reuters.
The decision follows Hamas’s handover of only four bodies of hostages earlier this week, in what was meant to be a full exchange under the current ceasefire deal.
Under the agreement, Hamas was required to return all hostages, both living and deceased, by midday on Tuesday. While all surviving hostages have been released, Israeli officials believe the remains of as many as 24 others are still in Gaza.
The published terms of the ceasefire appear to acknowledge that Hamas and other Palestinian groups may not have been able to locate all the bodies within the set timeframe.
The United Nations humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, has urged Israel to keep crossings open, warning that the closure risks worsening an already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.
“We need the agreement to be implemented in full by both sides,” Fletcher told the BBC. “Hamas must return the bodies as promised, but Israel must also ensure that aid continues to reach civilians who desperately need it.”
The Rafah crossing, located at Gaza’s southern border with Egypt, is one of only three points of entry and exit from the territory. It has remained mostly shut since the escalation of fighting following the 7 October attacks.
Israel took operational control of the Gazan side in May 2024, citing security concerns, and has only opened it briefly since then, most notably in February 2025 to allow medical evacuations.
The closure comes amid growing international concern that the fragile ceasefire could unravel if humanitarian access is further restricted.
