Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) on Sunday said in a statement that it will reopen the Rafah Crossing, a main lifeline for residents in the Gaza Strip, on Wednesday.
According to the statement, the land crossing will reopen in both directions for limited movement of people only.
COGAT said that the reopening decision was made "following a security assessment and an examination of the conditions enabling the resumption of operations at the crossing, while maintaining the necessary security restrictions in light of the security situation and the threats in the area."
It added that the crossing will be operated in accordance with the mechanism that was in place prior to its closure. The passing of residents through the crossing will be facilitated in coordination with Egypt, following prior security approval by Israel and under the supervision of the European Union mission.
In addition, further screening and identification procedures will be conducted by Israel, COGAT said.
Located on the border between southern Gaza and Egypt, the Rafah crossing is crucial for humanitarian aid to Gaza. It has been mostly closed since the Israeli armed forces took control of the Gazan side in May 2024, cutting Gaza off from the outside world and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
The crossing's limited operation resumed on Feb 2 under the latest ceasefire agreement which took effect on Oct 10, 2025.
On Feb 28, following the launch of the U.S.-Israeli attack against Iran, COGAT announced the closure of all crossings into Gaza, including Rafah, for security reasons.
Israel says to partially reopen Rafah Crossing on Wednesday
Israel says to partially reopen Rafah Crossing on Wednesday
Germany's fragile economic recovery is at risk amid the surging energy costs linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict, which will potentially trigger another recession, said Marcel Fratzscher, president of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW).
Fratzscher made the comments in a recent interview with the China Media Group (CMG) following the release of the institute's spring 2026 growth forecast for Germany.
"We are cautiously optimistic of the German economy this year. We see a clear recovery in growth, with 1.0 percent of growth expected this year and 1.4 percent next year. For Germany, these are respectable growth figures. But our great concern is the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military strikes against Iran, which could hit German industry hard through higher energy costs and rising inflation. In an extreme scenario, if the war escalates further, this could mean another recession for Germany's economy," he warned.
Fratzscher identified U.S. tariff policies and geopolitical tensions as key uncertainties for German growth, stressing that for Germany and Europe, the fate of the Strait of Hormuz matters more than the duration of the conflict.
"For the economic impact on Germany and Europe, how long the war lasts is less important than what happens with the Strait of Hormuz. Will it be reopened and remain permanently open for oil and gas exports? If that succeeds, we assume prices could fall relatively quickly, meaning we won't continue to see the high prices for oil and gas that we have now. That would be a significant relief for the European economy and also for Germany," he said.
The ongoing tensions in the Middle East have already pushed up fuel prices in Germany. As Europe's largest economy, Germany's manufacturing sector relies heavily on stable energy supplies. Persistent high energy costs risk slowing business investment and consumer spending, potentially undermining Germany's fragile economic recovery.
Germany's fragile economic recovery at risk amid Middle East tensions: senior economist
Germany's fragile economic recovery at risk amid Middle East tensions: senior economist
Germany's fragile economic recovery at risk amid Middle East tensions: senior economist
