Egypt says Rafah crossing cannot open unless it is back in Palestinian control

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said the Rafah border crossing cannot operate unless Israel hands control back to Palestinians, Reuters reports. Israel seized the Rafah crossing- a vital lifeline for Gaza's 2.3 million residents- during its recent offensive in southern Gaza. 

Speaking at a press conference with his Spanish counterpart in Madrid, Shoukry also highlighted the importance of preserving the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty as a cornerstone of regional stability. 

A Sunday meeting between U.S., Egyptian, and Israeli officials was considered positive by Egyptian sources, despite a failure to reach an agreement of reopening the Rafah crossing. At the meeting, Egypt’s delegation said it would be open to European monitors overseeing the crossing if Palestinian authorities agreed to resume its operation. On Sunday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Israeli forces intend to destroy tunnels used by Hamas between Gaza and Egypt to smuggle weapons, which Egypt denies exist.