Countdown to Reopening: EU Monitors Arrive at Rafah Crossing as Israel Implements Remote "Shin Bet" Screening

Final preparations are underway to reopen the Rafah Crossing this Wednesday or Thursday following a trilateral U.S.-Egyptian-Israeli agreement. European Union monitors have already arrived on the Palestinian side to manage security screenings in coordination with Palestinian Authority staff. Initially, the crossing will be limited to pedestrians only, with Israel receiving a daily "passenger list" for Shin Bet approval. The plan surprisingly allows for the departure of low-level Hamas affiliates and their families, provided they lack ties to violent activities.

However, the diplomatic breakthrough remains overshadowed by violence. On Tuesday morning, Israeli fire killed two Palestinians in Gaza City, accompanied by airstrikes in Rafah and naval shelling in Khan Younis. Since the October ceasefire, local reports claim Israel has committed over 1,300 violations, resulting in 1,850 casualties, casting a shadow of uncertainty over the sustainability of the new border arrangements.