Israel keeps Rafah Crossing closed until Hamas returns remains of final Israeli held in Gaza

Even if Rafah eventually reopens, Israeli media indicates it would be primarily for the movement of people and not a free-flow aid pipeline.

By Shmuli Volkin, Jewish Breaking News

Israel is keeping the Rafah Border Crossing shut until Hamas and its Iran-backed allies return the remains of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, the final Israeli hostage still held in Gaza, according to Israeli media reports.

The decision turns Rafah into more than a border gate. It becomes leverage, a signal that Israel won’t normalize postwar arrangements while Hamas still holds an Israeli hero as a bargaining chip.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has publicly backed the stance, arguing the crossing should not open until Gvili is brought home for burial.

The issue is also tied to broader understandings being discussed with Washington.

Israeli reporting indicates the reopening of Rafah and any future “day after” steps are being linked to hard conditions: the last hostage returned, and Hamas disarmed.

In parallel, US President Donald Trump has been told directly by the family that this is the line Israel cannot cross.

In an interview relayed by Ynet, Gvili’s father said Trump promised Gaza would not be rebuilt until Ran is returned, telling the family, “I will bring your son home.”

Rafah is the only Gaza crossing that directly interfaces with Egypt, making it strategically and politically charged.

Egypt shut the crossing after Israel seized the Gaza side of Rafah in May 2024, and the question of reopening has been wrapped up in fears of weapons smuggling, population movement, and who controls screening on the Gaza side.

Israeli outlets have reported planning for an Israeli-run inspection capability on the Gaza side if Rafah reopens, designed to monitor who enters and exits and prevent terrorist exploitation of the corridor.

Even if Rafah eventually reopens, Israeli media indicates it would be primarily for the movement of people, not a free-flow aid pipeline.

Humanitarian shipments have largely been routed through Kerem Shalom (Karem Abu Salem), where Israel conducts security checks—an arrangement Israel argues is necessary given Hamas’ repeated diversion and exploitation of dual-use goods.

The hostage angle is also reshaping Israeli public sentiment. The main Hostages and Missing Families Forum has declared its mission nearly complete—because only one hostage remains in Gaza: Ran Gvili.

The forum’s statement underscores the national mood: Israel isn’t “done” until the last family gets closure and the last captive is home.

If Hamas wants Rafah—and any broader relief or reconstruction conversation—it now faces a blunt Israeli demand: return the last hostage remains immediately.

Israel, for its part, is signaling that no amount of diplomatic pressure will override the basic covenant with its fallen and their families.

For Hamas, this is the endgame tactic: hold onto a body to extract concessions. For Israel, it’s the opposite: no concessions while the final hostage is still being used as a trophy.

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