The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt will remain closed through Wednesday, Israeli officials said Tuesday, extending restrictions that have sharply limited humanitarian aid entering the enclave.
According to three Israeli officials, the decision follows Hamas’s failure to return the bodies of several Israeli hostages as required under a recent U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement. The officials did not specify how long the closure would remain in place.
Hamas has said that locating the bodies may take time, as many burial sites across Gaza remain buried under rubble after months of conflict.
The continued closure of Rafah — a key lifeline for medical and food supplies — has drawn concern from international relief agencies, which warn that prolonged restrictions will worsen the humanitarian crisis across Gaza.
