Discussions over disarming Hamas are expected to begin only after the reopening of the Rafah Crossing, two sources familiar with the matter told The Jerusalem Post.
According to the sources, a Palestinian technocratic administration in Gaza is slated to lead negotiations with Hamas regarding disarmament. “The idea is that Palestinians will negotiate with Palestinians,” one of the sources said.
In the meantime, preparations to reopen the Rafah Crossing continue. This follows the recovery and repatriation of the body of the last abducted Israeli hostage, Ran Gvili.
The crossing will be run by Palestinian personnel who are not affiliated with the Palestinian Authority and do not wear PA uniforms, alongside European Union observers from the EUBAM mission.
Hamas refuses disarmament talks until Rafah Crossing opens
Although earlier reports anticipated the crossing would open as early as Wednesday, both an Israeli official and a Western diplomat told the Post that Thursday is now the earliest likely date.
“There is a chance it might not happen until early next week,” the pair added.
Once operational, the Rafah Crossing will be restricted to civilian entry and exit. On the Gaza exit side, Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) will implement screening procedures to verify the identities of those leaving.
On the entry side, Israel will maintain an additional inspection point a few meters from the crossing to conduct security checks, aimed at preventing the smuggling of weapons or materials that could bolster Hamas’s operational capabilities.
Senior US officials said Tuesday that Gaza’s reconstruction would move forward only if Hamas agrees to disarm.
“The ball is in Hamas’s court — they are the ones preventing Gaza’s rehabilitation and a better future for its people,” the officials told reporters.