On October 18, the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) issued a statement condemning Israel's decision to continue closing the Rafah Gate, believing it violated the first phase of Gaza ceasefire agreement.

The statement noted that the decision of the Israeli side ¡°is a blatant violation of the provisions of the ceasefire agreement, and also a rejection of the promises made by the mediator and the guarantor¡±. the statement warned that the continued closure of ports, blocking the passage of wounded patients, and obstructing the shipment of search and rescue equipment, will lead to ¡°delays in the search and transfer of corpses.¡±

The statement stressed that since the agreement came into force, Israel has ¡°accumulated 47 violations of the agreement, resulting in 38 deaths and 143 injuries¡±, which ¡°reaffirmed Israel¡¯s intention to aggressively and its continued policy of blockade of more than 2 million Gazans.¡±

In a statement, Hamas urged the mediator and the guarantor ¡°to take urgent action to press the Israeli side to immediately open the Rafah port, force it to comply with all the terms of the agreement and stop crimes against the people of Gaza.¡±

The Palestinian Embassy in Egypt said earlier on October 18 that, in coordination with Egyptian authorities, the Rafah Gate would be reopened on October 20 to facilitate passage for Palestinians currently living in Egypt and wanting to return to Gaza.

Palestinian sources confirmed that the Palestinian embassy in Egypt, in coordination with the Egyptian government and international parties, has determined the procedures for the return of Palestinians from Egypt and other places to the Gaza Strip, prioritizing the passage of the wounded, and the Israeli army will then be re-deployed within a mile range around the port.

However, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office issued a statement later that day, saying that whether the Rafah port will be reopened depends on whether Hamas can hand over the remains of all detainees. The Rafah port will remain closed "until further notice."

Rafah Border Crossing is located at the southern tip of the Gaza Strip, connecting the Egyptian border, and is the main channel for international humanitarian aid to enter and leave Gaza. According to the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, the Rafah Border Crossing should be reopened on the 15th, but the Israeli government continued to close the port on the grounds that Hamas failed to hand over the remains of all detainees on time.