Israel says Egypt must reopen Rafah crossing with Gaza

The Israeli Foreign Minister said on Tuesday that Egypt must be "persuaded" to reopen the Rafah border crossing with Gaza "to allow the continued delivery of international humanitarian aid."

In a statement, Israel Katz said that the responsibility "to prevent a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip now lies with our Egyptian friends," adding that foreign critics who blame Israel for the humanitarian situation in the Strip are misguided.

He also stated that Hamas "will not control the Rafah crossing - this is a security necessity that we will not compromise on."

Reuters