A total of 12 Palestinians, including nine women and three children, returned to the war-torn Gaza Strip from Egypt on Monday, the first day of the official reopening of the Rafah crossing, said a statement released by the Ministry of Interior and National Security in Gaza on Tuesday.
All the 12 people received medical assistance and completed the necessary entry procedures, the statement said.
Located at Gaza's southern border with Egypt, the Rafah crossing had been largely closed since May 2024, when Israeli forces took control of the Palestinian side of the crossing. Prior to its closure, Rafah had served as Gaza's main gateway to the outside world and a key entry point for international humanitarian aid.
The crossing began a trial operation on February 1 and was officially reopened on February 2, allowing limited two-way access of people under restricted conditions.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) issued a statement on Tuesday, condemning Israel's detention and harsh screening of Palestinian returnees at the Rafah crossing.
Hamas said the measures went beyond normal security checks and were intended to intimidate civilians and prevent them from returning home.
Hamas called on Israel to comply with the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement by fully and unrestrictedly reopening the Rafah crossing and ensuring the safety and freedom of access of people.
12 Palestinians return to Gaza on first day of Rafah crossing reopening
A drone belonging to Iran's armed forces completed a "surveillance mission" in international waters Tuesday, Iranian media reported, shortly after the U.S. military said it had shot down an Iranian aircraft that "aggressively approached" an aircraft carrier.
Citing unnamed sources, the Fars news agency reported that the drone "successfully" monitored military movements in areas adjacent to Iran and transmitted data to ground bases in real time.
The U.S. Central Command said earlier in the day that a U.S. F-35C warplane "was forced" to shoot down an Iranian Shahed-139 drone in the Arabian Sea. The command stated that the drone had "unnecessarily maneuvered" toward the USS Abraham Lincoln while the carrier was transiting international waters approximately 800 km from the Iranian coast.
Also on Tuesday, several Iranian gunboats approached a U.S.-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz north of Oman, British media reported, citing maritime sources and a security consultancy.
Iran's Fars news agency said a vessel entered Iranian territorial waters without the necessary legal permits, was warned and left the area, citing unnamed Iranian officials, according to media reports.
The U.S. Central Command said a guided-missile U.S. destroyer responded to the scene and escorted the ship, and the situation de-escalated as a result.
The encounters came amid tentative prospects for U.S.-Iran talks in the coming days.
Earlier in the day, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he had instructed the Foreign Ministry to pursue "fair and equitable" negotiations with the United States.
Writing on social media platform X, Pezeshkian said the move followed requests from regional governments to respond to a negotiation proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump. He said any talks must take place within a framework of "dignity, prudence and expediency."
While Türkiye has offered to mediate, Iran appears to be seeking to limit the scope of the discussions. U.S. outlet Axios, citing informed sources, reported that Iran prefers Oman as a venue and favors direct talks with the U.S. rather than a broader format involving Arab and Muslim states.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said consultations were underway to finalize a venue for talks expected in the coming days, the official IRNA reported. Baghaei said Türkiye, Oman, and several other regional countries had expressed readiness to host the talks, which Iran highly values.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told the press on Tuesday that negotiations between the U.S. and Iran are still scheduled for later this week.
U.S.-Iran drone encounter clouds prospects for talks
