Israeli soldiers recovering the last body of hostages in the Gaza Strip.Image: XINHUA
January 27, 2026, 10:17 amJanuary 27, 2026, 10:17 am
lars nicolaysen, dpa
With the repatriation of the last killed Islamist Hamas hostage from the Gaza Strip to Israel, the way is clear for the reopening of an important border crossing. With the opening of the Rafah border point between Egypt and the coastal area, the conditions for entering the second phase of the peace plan pushed forward by the USA would be met. This phase envisages the disarmament of Hamas. The Palestinian terrorist organization has so far rejected this. If there is no agreement, war could break out again.
US President Donald Trump gave Hamas great credit for its support in the search for the remains of Israeli police officer Ran Gvili, who he kidnapped. “They worked very hard to get the body back. They worked with Israel on this.”he told the US news site “Axios”. In return, Israel will hand over the bodies of at least 15 Palestinians, the Times of Israel quoted an informed source as saying.
Israel promises to open Rafah to passenger traffic
Israel had previously announced that the Rafah border crossing would reopen to passenger traffic once Gvili’s body was returned to Israel for burial. However, a timetable was not given.
Israeli and Arab mediators are still negotiating details, including the number of people allowed in and out each day, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Israel described the opening of the crossing as limited and said it would be carried out under Israeli supervision. The Palestinians would be subjected to security checks.
The repatriation of Gvili’s body and the opening of the Rafah border crossing were crucial requirements for the first phase of the US-developed peace plan. “The next phase is the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip.”the Times of Israel quoted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “The next phase is not reconstruction”emphasized the head of government in parliament.
Israel and USA demand Hamas disarms
It is in Israel’s interest to “advance this phase and not delay it,” Netanyahu was quoted as saying. “It will happen the easy way or the hard way”he said, apparently referring to the difficult issue of disarming Hamas. “But it will happen.” US President Trump also emphasized in the interview with “Axios” that Hamas must now be disarmed – “as they promised”.
Two US officials also stressed, according to the report, that the ball is now in Hamas’s court to further implement the Gaza peace plan, which must agree to its disarmament: “We believe they will do that.” Meanwhile, Hamas emphasized its “commitment to complying with the agreements” in a statement. At the same time, she demanded that Israel fulfill its obligations without delay, “in particular the opening of the Rafah border crossing in both directions without restrictions.”
Hamas demands aid deliveries and troop withdrawal
However, it is still unclear whether Israel will also allow the return of refugee Palestinians who are stuck in Egypt. The Rafah border crossing, which has been closed for almost a year, is considered the Gaza Strip’s most important gateway to the world. Israel’s military controls the Gaza side of the crossing. Ali Schaath, chairman of the new interim government for the coastal area on the Mediterranean that was largely destroyed in two years of war, announced last Thursday that the border crossing would be opened in both directions.
In addition, Israel must ensure the import of the necessary quantities of aid, completely withdraw its army from Gaza and make the work of the interim government easier, according to the Hamas statement. This government consists of 14 Palestinian professionals who are said to have no connection to Hamas. They were recently announced as part of the second phase of the peace plan already announced by the USA.
Committees should control the transition phase in Gaza
To support this government, a body called the “Gaza Executive Board” was created. This includes, among others, US special envoy Steve Witkoff, British ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and senior Qatari diplomat Ali Thawadi. The inclusion of representatives from Qatar and Turkey annoys Israel’s government, as both countries are considered supporters of Hamas. According to media reports, they had persuaded Hamas to agree to the Gaza agreement.
Another new body, the Executive Committee, will oversee the transitional government and also manage the planned reconstruction of Gaza. All of these committees report to the controversial “Peace Council,” which will be made up of world leaders and led by Trump. He is supposed to oversee the Gaza peace process. Contrary to what was initially expected, he will also take care of other international conflicts. Critics see it as illegitimate competition to the United Nations and point out that the “Peace Council” is completely tailored to Trump as a person. (rbu/sda/dpa)