Arab and Muslim-majority nations have sharply condemned Israel&rsquo;s proposed &ldquo;exit-only&rdquo; opening of the Rafah crossing, warning that the move amounts to an attempt to push Palestinians off their land. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and the UAE said they were &ldquo;deeply concerned&rdquo; by Israel&rsquo;s military declaration that Rafah would open only for the departure of Gaza residents to Egypt, blocking their return and preventing aid from entering. They stressed that such a unilateral plan violates commitments under the US-led peace framework.
The concerns come against the backdrop of Israel&rsquo;s ongoing assault on Gaza, despite a ceasefire formally in place since October 10. Officials from the region noted that there have been nearly 600 ceasefire violations, with fresh strikes killing at least three people in Beit Lahiya on Saturday. The ministers rejected any action that could lead to the &ldquo;displacement of the Palestinian people from their land&rdquo;, insisting that the Rafah crossing must operate in both directions in accordance with the peace plan. Israel has stalled reopening the route for humanitarian aid, citing unresolved issues related to captives, though only one body remains unrecovered.
The statement also underscored support for the broader diplomatic roadmap, including formation of a technocratic Palestinian government and deployment of a multinational stabilisation force. Leaders urged that conditions be created for the Palestinian Authority to resume governance in Gaza and pressed for rapid progress toward a two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital of an independent Palestinian state. At the Doha Forum, Qatari and Turkish officials warned that the ceasefire remains fragile, saying sustainable calm requires a full withdrawal of Israeli forces and clearly defined rules for any international security deployment.
Even as diplomatic efforts continue, Israeli forces intensified operations across the Strip, launching more than 20 air strikes overnight and firing shells in multiple areas, from Gaza City to Rafah and Khan Younis. Fishing boats off Khan Younis also came under fire. Israel now controls vast swathes of Gaza over half the enclave&rsquo;s territory, while the death toll continues to rise. Since October 2023, the war has killed more than&nbsp;70,125 Palestinians and injured over 171,000, deepening the humanitarian catastrophe and fuelling international outrage over Israel&rsquo;s military conduct.

Arab Nations Reject Israel’s One-Way Rafah Plan

8 nations warn Israel’s one-way Rafah proposal risks forced displacement of Palestinians

Arab Nations Reject Israel’s One-Way Rafah Plan

8 nations warn Israel’s one-way Rafah proposal risks forced displacement of Palestinians

December 6, 2025 | 18:00 IST