Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office announced on Sunday that it has agreed to a partial reopening of the Rafah Crossing, aligning with President Donald Trump’s proposed 20-point peace initiative. This decision marks a significant step in the ongoing diplomatic efforts in the region.

In a series of updates on the social media platform X, the Prime Minister’s Office clarified that the Rafah Crossing will resume operations exclusively for pedestrian traffic. However, it will remain under strict Israeli security checks to ensure safety and compliance.

The conditions for reopening are clear: all living hostages must be returned, and Hamas is required to make a full and sincere effort to locate and repatriate the remains of any deceased hostages, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Accompanying this announcement is a satellite image taken on August 20, 2023, showing the Rafah area prior to the recent conflict. This image was provided by Planet Labs PBC via Reuters.

The Prime Minister’s Office further stated, “The IDF is conducting a targeted operation utilizing all gathered intelligence to locate and retrieve the fallen hostage, Master-Sgt. Ran Gvili, of blessed memory. Once this mission concludes and in line with the agreement made with the United States, Israel will proceed with the reopening of the Rafah Crossing.”

“The State of Israel is committed to the return of Israeli hero Master-Sgt. Ran Gvili and will spare no effort to bring him home for a proper Jewish burial.”

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.