Synopsis
Egypt's Rafah crossing has received eight Palestinian prisoners for deportation after their release by Israel under a ceasefire deal with Hamas. They will be moved to various countries, with Egypt serving as a transit point for this operation.Key Takeaways
- Eight Palestinian prisoners were released by Israel.
- They will be deported to Turkiye, Qatar, Algeria, and Tunisia.
- Egypt is acting as a transit hub for these individuals.
- 50 patients from Gaza recently crossed into Egypt.
- The Rafah crossing has reopened for the first time in months.
Cairo, Feb 2 (NationPress) The Egyptian authorities at the Rafah crossing welcomed eight Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, who are slated for deportation following their release by Israel in accordance with the ongoing ceasefire agreement with Hamas, as reported by Egypt's Al-Qahera News TV channel.
An anonymous Egyptian source informed Xinhua that these released Palestinians, who were convicted of murder in Israel, will be relocated to Turkiye, Qatar, Algeria, and Tunisia after being moved to Cairo.
The source clarified that Egypt will act as a transit hub for these released prisoners until they depart for their respective countries. The destinations for these individuals are being coordinated with Israel, which insisted on the deportation of Palestinian murder convicts, according to Xinhua news agency.
A report from the Times of Israel indicated that Israel requested that Palestinians convicted of serious offenses not be allowed to return to the Gaza Strip or the West Bank. Egypt consented to temporarily accommodate these individuals, including 70 prisoners previously released last week, who are presently in Cairo.
Egyptian officials are enhancing their preparations to receive additional prisoners at the Rafah crossing, the source noted. Earlier that same day, 50 patients from Gaza entered Egypt via Rafah, the sole crossing point between the Palestinian territory and Egypt.
In a significant development, for the first time in eight months, 50 injured Palestinians and patients were permitted to exit Gaza through the Rafah border crossing for medical treatment in Egypt, under the oversight of the World Health Organization (WHO).
On Saturday, Egypt declared the reopening of the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, which had been shut since May 2024 when Israel assumed control over the Palestinian side.
Patients were gathered at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City and Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis before being transported to the crossing, with critical cases evacuated by ambulances from the Palestinian Red Crescent.
Mohammed Zaqout, director general of hospitals in Gaza, informed Xinhua that over 6,000 injured and ill Palestinians urgently need treatment, with 12,000 requiring care abroad.
Israeli media stated that the Israeli army withdrew from the Rafah crossing on Friday, transferring control to international forces, and approved the list of patients authorized to exit.
