Egypt pushes to reopen Rafah crossing - and IDF warns of a return to October 7
While Israel strongly opposes the move, Cairo continues to exert pressure to open the crossing for goods without Israeli inspection. A security source told Walla that the issue of smuggling is one of the main lessons of October 7 and emphasized that the IDF will not compromise: "There will be no transfer of goods except through the Kerem Shalom crossing."
Egypt is pressuring Israel, aiming to reopen the Rafah crossing for the transfer of goods without Israeli inspection, it was learned today, Tuesday, by Walla. A security source addressed the messages coming from Cairo:
"The security establishment and the political echelon are presenting a unified position to the Americans and the peace government envoy Nikolay Mladenov — not to allow the entry of goods through any crossing other than Kerem Shalom. There are no compromises on this issue. The position is clear and there is no intention to change it."
Another security source emphasized that one of the main lessons of October 7 is the issue of smuggling into the Gaza Strip, above and below ground, as well as in the maritime space. For years, this operated with and without the knowledge of the security establishment. The IDF and Shin Bet are exerting a tremendous effort to counter the incessant attempts by Hamas and other terrorist organizations to smuggle dual-use materials, military equipment, weaponry, and ammunition into the Gaza Strip, including products for barter to smuggle funds into the Strip.
According to the source, every time a new method is discovered and an attempt is made to develop a new channel into the Strip, it is a constant struggle. "We identify attempts from land, from the sea, and including via drones," he added, clarifying that the operational response is very high.
In the past, Egypt benefited from a taxation system for the entry and exit of goods from the Gaza Strip, including at various crossings from the Suez Canal through the Sinai to Rafah, which generated millions of dollars a month. Since the decision to close the Rafah crossing and bring in goods only through the Kerem Shalom crossing — under Israeli responsibility and subject to inspection by the Ministry of Defense — Egypt's revenues have dropped drastically.
The source noted that officials in the Shin Bet raised an idea to ban the operation of drones in border areas for any purpose other than security, and subsequently throughout the country until licenses are regulated, but at this stage, it remains an idea without political support for legislation.
About 600 trucks enter the Gaza Strip daily from Israel and Egypt, as well as goods arriving from the port of Ashdod and Jordan, which undergo strict inspection at the Kerem Shalom crossing. The concern in the security establishment is that against the backdrop of the Americans' incessant effort to promote Donald Trump's peace plan, they will try to bend Israeli policy.
