Israel has said that the date for the opening of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt would be announced at a later stage and that it would only be open for the movement of people, AFP reports.

“The date for the opening of the Rafah crossing for the movement of people only will be announced at a later stage, once the Israeli side, together with the Egyptian side, completes the necessary preparations for the crossing’s opening,” said a statement from COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry body that oversees civil affairs in the Palestinian territories.

“It should be emphasised that humanitarian aid will not pass through the Rafah crossing. This was never agreed upon at any stage,” the statement said, adding that “aid continues to enter the Gaza Strip” through other crossings.

Palestinians ride on a truck loaded with belongings, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, on October 16, 2025. — Reuters
Palestinians ride on a truck loaded with belongings, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, on October 16, 2025. — Reuters

Opinion

Editorial

After the budget
Updated 26 Jun, 2026

After the budget

Though not a bad document per se, the budget for FY27 is a familiar one, and familiarity in our economic history is rarely cause for comfort.
Missing the mark
26 Jun, 2026

Missing the mark

PAKISTAN’S commitment to the SDGs is routinely reaffirmed, but the gap between promises and progress continues to...
Up in smoke
26 Jun, 2026

Up in smoke

PAKISTAN is watching an epidemic unfold as the menace of narcotic abuse hits every fourth household in Karachi ...
Reflection time
Updated 25 Jun, 2026

Reflection time

Israel is the biggest source of instability in the Middle East, and it is high time the US ended its blind support to Tel Aviv, if it genuinely wants peace in the region.
Raised temperatures
25 Jun, 2026

Raised temperatures

THE fraught situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir requires immense patience and cool heads. Temperatures are raised on...
Debatable remedy
25 Jun, 2026

Debatable remedy

THE Pakistan Psychiatric Society’s challenge to the Federal Shariat Court’s ruling on attempted suicide deserves...