The New Arab / January 24, 2026
The developments come as Washington envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Tel Aviv on Saturday to discuss the reconstruction of Gaza.
Israeli forces on Saturday launched airstrikes on the eastern areas of Gaza City and opened fire in Khan Younis, amid steps being taken to proceed to the next phase of the ceasefire deal and reopen the Rafah crossing.
At least one person was killed and others wounded in an Israeli bombing of Jabalia al-Balad on Saturday, reports said.
The fresh strikes on Saturday come despite a ceasefire agreement announced in October, which rights groups and activists state has been violated by Israel hundreds of times, and has resulted in over 400 Palestinians being killed.
On Friday evening, Israeli forces also targeted the north of Gaza.
The developments come as US President Donald Trump’s aides Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Tel Aviv on Saturday.
The pair will discuss the reconstruction of Gaza in accordance with the vision and plans outlined by Trump, Israeli media said.
According to reports, the Rafah crossing, a lifeline for Palestinians blockaded in Gaza, is expected to open this week.
Ali Shaath, the head of the US-backed Gaza administration committee, announced the news on Thursday, adding that they are preparing to open the crossing despite obstructions from Israel.
“There are assurances for the Gaza power plant to resume operations; we are also working with international parties regarding solar energy and are collaborating with various electricity providers in the Gaza Strip to restore power as soon as possible,” Shaath said on Friday.
The New Arab’s Arabic language sister publication, Al-Araby al-Jadeed reported on Saturday that Israel plans on setting up a checkpoint for Palestinians near the Rafah crossing when it reopens, a move that has been dubbed as ‘Rafah 2’ by Hebrew-language media.
Further checks will be carried out for Palestinians at the checkpoint, the Israeli Kan broadcaster reported.
The Rafah crossing will be operated by the European Union Border Assistance Mission and members of the Palestinian Authority’s General Intelligence Service.
Reports add that the crossing could open within 48 hours of approval, while the Reuters news agency said, citing three informed sources, that Israel wants to restrict the number of Palestinians returning to Gaza via the crossing, to ensure a greater number of people leave rather than enter the enclave.
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed over 70,000 Palestinians since October 2023 and has plunged the enclave into a deep humanitarian crisis.
Rights groups around the world have urged Israel to allow vital humanitarian aid into the enclave before proceeding to the next stages of the ceasefire agreement.
