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Eight Muslim-majority countries issued a joint statement Friday condemning Israel's proposal to open the Rafah border crossing exclusively for one-way exit from Gaza, warning against what they characterized as a potential forced displacement of Palestinians.
The foreign ministers of Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates said they "expressed their deep concern" about Israeli statements regarding opening the crossing in a single direction aimed at transferring Gaza residents to Egypt. The group declared "their absolute rejection of any attempts to expel the Palestinian people from their land."
The diplomatic pushback follows Israel's Wednesday announcement that it would open the Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt "in the coming days" to allow residents to exit the Palestinian territory. However, Egypt immediately denied agreeing to any such arrangement and insisted the crossing must operate in both directions.
The eight nations called for the crossing to be opened bidirectionally in accordance with U.S. President Donald Trump's peace plan for the region. The ministers said they opposed "compelling any resident of the Gaza Strip to leave," framing Israel's proposal as a violation of Palestinian rights to remain on their land.
Egypt and Qatar have served as primary mediators in negotiations related to the Gaza conflict, giving their opposition particular weight in regional diplomatic efforts.
Reopening the Rafah crossing represents a key component of Trump's peace plan for Gaza and has long been sought by UN agencies and humanitarian organizations seeking to deliver aid and facilitate civilian movement. The crossing has remained largely closed, creating severe restrictions on movement in and out of the besieged territory.
Despite an October ceasefire taking effect, Israeli authorities have delayed implementing the crossing reopening. Officials cited Hamas's failure to return the bodies of all hostages as well as the need for proper coordination with Egyptian authorities before proceeding.
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The Rafah crossing has emerged as a critical point of contention in post-ceasefire arrangements. The border passage serves as Gaza's primary connection to Egypt and the outside world beyond Israeli-controlled crossings. Humanitarian groups have pressed for its reopening to alleviate the dire conditions facing Gaza's population.
The eight-nation statement signals growing regional concern that Israel's one-way proposal could facilitate permanent displacement of Palestinians rather than temporary humanitarian movement, a prospect that has drawn opposition across the Muslim-majority countries involved in mediation efforts.
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