Palestinian PM says Israel seized Rafah crossing, turned it into ‘tool of siege’

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Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa accused Israel on Monday of seizing the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing and turning it into “a tool of siege,” saying Israeli tanks were now closing the vital gateway. He urged international action to force Israel to allow aid into Gaza, warning the enclave faces dire humanitarian conditions.
Visiting the Rafah border crossing with Gaza in Egypt on Monday, Mustafa said his government would soon announce a temporary committee to administer Gaza, describing governance of the enclave as “a responsibility to thwart displacement, not a prize.”
He stressed that the Palestinian Authority is the only body authorized to manage Gaza and is capable of assuming its responsibilities. Gaza, he said, remains “an inseparable part of Palestine,” with the PA as its legitimate representative. He also thanked Saudi Arabia and France for leading efforts to revive the two-state solution, and confirmed preparations for an international reconstruction conference in Cairo.

Earlier, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said Palestinian and Qatari delegations are in Cairo working on a ceasefire proposal. He added that Egypt is engaged in intensive contacts with partners to advance de-escalation efforts in Gaza. Abdelatty rejected displacement from the territory, settlement expansion, and what he called the “illusions of Greater Israel,” stressing that Cairo “cannot be part of any injustice against the Palestinian people.”

He accused Israel of systematically targeting civilians waiting for aid and described the starvation of Palestinians in Gaza as “a blatant violation of all international norms.”

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