On Sunday, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel has consented to a “limited reopening” of the Rafah crossing into Gaza from Egypt, aligning with former U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed 20-point peace plan.
In a series of updates shared on the social media platform X, officials from Netanyahu’s office stated that the crossing will resume operations once efforts to recover the remains of the last Israeli hostage are concluded. The reopening will only allow pedestrian traffic and will be closely monitored by a comprehensive Israeli inspection process.
“In accordance with President Trump’s 20-point initiative, Israel has agreed to a restricted reopening of the Rafah Crossing for foot traffic only, which will be subject to a rigorous Israeli inspection protocol,” stated the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.
This reopening is conditional upon the return of all living hostages and an exhaustive effort by Hamas to locate and return the remains of any deceased hostages, as highlighted by the Prime Minister’s Office.
On January 13, 2026, a truck carrying humanitarian aid is stationed at the Rafah crossing, poised to enter the Gaza Strip in Rafah, Egypt. (Ali Moustafa/Getty Images)
All but one of the deceased hostages, police officer Ran Gvili, have been recovered to date.
“The IDF is currently conducting a focused operation to exhaust all of the intelligence that has been gathered in the effort to locate and return the fallen hostage, Master-Sgt. Ran Gvili, of blessed memory,” the Prime Minister’s Office wrote. “Upon completion of this operation, and in accordance with what has been agreed upon with the US, Israel will open the Rafah Crossing.”
People hold signs with a photo of Ran Gvili, who was killed while fighting Hamas militants during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack and whose body has been held in Gaza ever since, during a rally calling for his return in Tel Aviv, Israel, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Leo Correa/AP Photo)
“The State of Israel is committed to the return of Israeli hero Master-Sgt. Ran Gvili and will spare no effort to bring him home for a proper Jewish burial,” the statement added.
President Trump released his 20-point plan to end the Gaza war in September. The 20 remaining hostages were freed from captivity in Gaza on Oct. 13.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration formally launched the second phase of the plan, shifting from a ceasefire framework toward a post-ceasefire political and security phase for Gaza.
President Donald Trump greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he arrives at the White House for a meeting on April 7, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Chen Mengtong/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)
U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff warned that Hamas must fully comply with its obligations under the agreement, including the immediate return of the final deceased hostage.
“The U.S. expects Hamas to comply fully with its obligations, including the immediate return of the final deceased hostage,” Witkoff wrote on X on Jan. 14. “Failure to do so will bring serious consequences.”
