Israel partially reopens Gaza's Rafah crossing

Israel has partially reopened the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, which had been closed since Israeli forces seized it in May 2024. The reopening is initially a limited "pilot phase" for residents only, with about 200 patients waiting to leave for medical treatment. This action follows the recent recovery of the last Israeli captive's remains and comes a day after deadly Israeli strikes in Gaza. The process is being coordinated with Egypt and supervised by a European Union mission, with a wider reopening planned. The move is also expected to facilitate the entry of a new Palestinian technocratic body to oversee the governance of Gaza under a US-brokered ceasefire.