Qatar says it’s engaged with mediators to reopen Rafah crossing into Gaza 

The Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson has said Doha is engaged with mediators to reopen the Rafah crossing into besieged Gaza and deliver aid.

Communications are ongoing, the spokesman said on Tuesday. “We are working with mediator to ensure we reach the second phase of Gaza ceasefire. We demanded that humanitarian aid is not used as a political blackmail.”

Humanitarian groups say that Israeli restrictions continue to hamper aid deliveries, a clear violation of the October 10 ceasefire agreement, while Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt remains closed.

The crossing had long been Gaza’s only connection to the outside world until the Israeli military occupied the Palestinian side in May 2024.

Israel’s Kan broadcaster reported on January 1 that Israeli authorities are preparing to reopen the crossing in “both directions” following pressure from US President Donald Trump.

If confirmed, it would mark a shift from an earlier Israeli policy that stated the crossing would only open “exclusively for the exit of residents from the Gaza Strip to Egypt”. The policy drew condemnation from regional governments, including Egypt and Qatar, with officials warning against the ethnic cleansing of Gaza.

That Israeli report had left many Palestinians hopeful.

Tasnim Jaras, a student in Gaza City, told Al Jazeera that it was her “dream that the crossing opens so we can continue our education”.

Moaeen al-Jarousha, who was wounded in the war, said he needed to leave Gaza to receive medical treatment abroad. “I need immediate medical intervention. I live in very difficult conditions,” he said.

More to come…