The European Union Border Assistance Mission for the Rafah Crossing Point (EUBAM Rafah) could resume its operations on the ground from 1 February, according to several European sources interviewed on Friday 24 January.
At the end of May 2024 (see EUROPE 13417/1), the EU High Representative at the time, Josep Borrell, announced that he had received the green light from ministers to reactivate EUBAM Rafah.
The objective of the new EU High Representative, Kaja Kallas, would be to obtain an agreement from the same ministers for the mission to be redeployed at the beginning of February, as part of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza. This redeployment is linked to phase 1 of the agreement, which lasts 42 days. According to one diplomat, the EU has received written agreements from Egypt, Israel and the Palestinian Authority for the redeployment.
This European diplomat explained that the mission would be deployed to monitor the system of checks by authorities administered by the Palestinian Authority on people passing through the Rafah crossing point.
The mission would be made up of European gendarmerie forces. France, Italy and Spain would be taking part. It would consist of a six-strong team specialising in border policing and a twelve-strong team specialising in protection, to protect the first team.
The crossing point could be open from 9am to 5pm and a limited number of people - the injured and their families - would be allowed to cross the border, with one source putting the figure at 500. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)