The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt will remain closed “until further notice,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday. He said its reopening would depend on Hamas handing over the bodies of deceased Israeli hostages.

The announcement came shortly after the Palestinian embassy in Egypt stated that the Rafah crossing, Gaza’s main exit and entry point, would reopen on Monday. In response, Hamas criticised Netanyahu’s decision, calling it a "blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement and a repudiation of the commitments he made to the mediators and guarantor parties."

Hamas also warned that keeping the crossing closed would delay the delivery of equipment needed to recover more hostage bodies from the rubble, slowing down the process of returning remains to

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