Foreign ministers from eight Arab and Muslim nations issued a unified rejection of Israel's proposed one-way reopening of Gaza's Rafah Crossing during a Friday statement. The coalition – including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye – warned the plan risks forced displacement of Palestinians and violates the Trump-era agreement requiring bidirectional movement through the vital transit point.
The ministers emphasized that maintaining two-way operations at Rafah is essential for preserving Palestinians' right to remain on their land while enabling reconstruction efforts. Their statement called for urgent humanitarian access and stressed the Palestinian Authority's critical role in stabilizing Gaza through governance restoration.
This diplomatic push comes three days after Israel announced plans to implement the October 2025 ceasefire terms by reopening Rafah solely for departures. Egyptian officials have denied coordination with Jerusalem on the proposal, which would mark the first operational changes since Israeli forces assumed control of the Palestinian-side crossing in May 2024.
Once Gaza's primary humanitarian corridor and civilian exit route, Rafah's prolonged closure has exacerbated what United Nations agencies describe as one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises. The ministers' joint declaration urges international stakeholders to prevent unilateral measures that could derail peacebuilding efforts in the conflict-ravaged enclave.
