The Trump administration expects Israel to reopen the Rafah Crossing in the coming days to allow both the entry and exit of Gazans, following discussions between Donald Trump, his senior aides, and Benjamin Netanyahu during meetings in Washington earlier this week, a U.S. official told The Times of Israel.

The Rafah Crossing, Gaza’s main gateway to Egypt, was slated to reopen under the terms of the October Gaza ceasefire agreement. However, implementation has stalled amid disagreements over how the crossing would operate. Israel has said it would only agree to reopening Rafah for the exit of Palestinians from Gaza, while Egypt has refused to open the crossing under those conditions, arguing that Israel is attempting to reduce the Strip’s population by preventing Gazans from returning.

According to Israeli media reports, U.S. pressure has prompted renewed movement on the issue. Netanyahu raised the prospect of reopening Rafah in both directions during a cabinet meeting last week, but the proposal reportedly faced resistance from far-right ministers who have advocated encouraging the migration of Gazans out of the enclave throughout the war.

Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Israel now plans to proceed with a full reopening of the crossing once Netanyahu returns from the United States on Friday. An Israeli official told the network that Jerusalem does not want to be perceived as obstructing the implementation of Trump’s proposed Gaza peace plan.

The Rafah Crossing has remained largely closed for months, exacerbating humanitarian concerns and limiting civilian movement in and out of Gaza. Its reopening to two-way traffic would mark a significant shift in policy and could ease tensions with Egypt, which has repeatedly linked the crossing’s status to broader concerns about displacement and population transfer.

Neither the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office nor Egyptian authorities have formally confirmed the timeline for reopening Rafah. U.S. officials, however, have indicated that they expect progress in the coming days, saying the move is part of a broader effort to stabilize the situation in Gaza and advance diplomatic initiatives tied to the current ceasefire framework.

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