Arab and Muslim nations oppose Israeli proposal for Gaza Rafah crossing as exit-only plan

Mediators Egypt and Qatar, alongside six additional Muslim-majority countries, have voiced serious concerns over Israels announced plan to open the Rafah border crossing solely for outbound movement. This arrangement would allow Palestinians to leave Gaza but prevent their return and restrict the entry of humanitarian supplies.

The warning comes amid Israels ongoing military campaign in Gaza, which has reportedly seen nearly 600 ceasefire violations over the past seven weeks.

Foreign ministers from Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates released a joint statement on Saturday expressing grave concern over Israels recent announcement that the Rafah Crossing will open exclusively for residents to exit Gaza into Egypt.

The declaration, made by Israels Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) on Wednesday, specifies that movement would be one-way and require Israeli security approval in coordination with Egypt. Egypt and its partners have strongly condemned the plan, calling it an attempt to displace Palestinians and emphasizing that Israel must adhere to the United States peace plan, which mandates two-way access at Rafah.

Since the October 10 ceasefire under the U.S.-led initiative, the Rafah crossing has remained largely closed. Israeli authorities have delayed its reopening to allow humanitarian aid and medical evacuations, citing unresolved issues with Hamas regarding captive bodies and coordination with Egypt. Only one captives remains remain in Gaza.

The ministers praised the U.S. peace initiative, which envisions a technocratic Palestinian government supported by a multinational stabilization force supervised by an international Board of Peace. They urged that implementation proceed without delay and called for mechanisms enabling the Palestinian Authority to resume its governance in Gaza.

The statement reinforced the goal of establishing a sustainable peace framework, paving the way for a two-state solution, with an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 borders, encompassing Gaza and the West Bank, and East Jerusalem as its capital.

Earlier, Arab and Muslim countries had indicated willingness to contribute troops to the proposed International Stabilization Force (ISF), insisting that the U.S. plan include clear provisions for Palestinian self-determination before a UN Security Council vote. Israeli efforts to hinder this process did not succeed.

Author: Noah Whitman