Egypt

“If it ends like this, he will be remembered as the worst president ever for Iranians,” one Iranian who managed to flee told The Jerusalem Post. 

Of the 50 people waiting to leave Gaza, mostly for medical treatment, only five patients with seven relatives escorting them managed to cross into Egypt on Monday.

The visit comes ahead of reported talks between the United States and Iran in Istanbul scheduled for later this week, aimed at avoiding conflict and de-escalating tensions between the two sides.

Egypt, sharing a 1,200 km border with Sudan, has strongly backed Sudan’s military in its nearly three-year conflict with the RSF paramilitary group.

A meeting between US and Iranian officials in Istanbul is seen as a best-case scenario, sources familiar with the plans said.

Rafah is one of the sticking points in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas and was often the focal point of the war that began in October 2023.

Despite the reopening of Rafah, Israel is still limiting the entry of foreign and Israeli journalists and insisting on supervising their visits.

“After months of a ceasefire and demands from humanitarian organizations to open it without obstacles, Israel will beginthe process of partially reopening the Rafah crossing," Al-Ain media reported.

Only a handful of crossings are expected on Sunday, according to Walla, allowing operators to ensure that all identification screening systems are functioning properly.

Entrance and exit through the crossing will be allowed only through coordination first with Egypt, Army Radio explained on Wednesday. Egypt will then transfer names to the Shin Bet.