Key facts
- Israel has agreed to extend the mandate of the EU's border assistance mission at the Rafah crossing until mid-2027.
- The mandate for the EUPOL COPPS scheme, which trains Palestinian police, will also be extended until mid-2027.
- The EU's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, welcomed the decision as an important step towards regional stability.
- The agreement aims to improve the safety and effectiveness of crossings and support Palestinian police.
- A separate deal was struck to expand humanitarian aid access to Gaza, including more food trucks and additional crossing points.
The European Union's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, has welcomed Israel's decision to extend the mandate of the bloc's border assistance mission at the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, as well as the EUPOL COPPS scheme for Palestinian police training, until mid-2027. The initial EU border mission was established in 2005 but had been on standby for nearly two decades.
The Rafah crossing, which had been shut during the recent conflict, has seen limited operations since February, with over 10,000 people passing between Gaza and Egypt. Kallas described the extension as a significant step following months of diplomatic negotiations, emphasizing the missions' role in enhancing crossing safety, supporting Palestinian police, and contributing to regional stability.
In a related development, the EU also reached an agreement with Israel to expand humanitarian access to Gaza. This deal includes increasing the number of food and non-food item trucks entering the territory, opening additional crossing points in both northern and southern Gaza, and reopening routes from Jordan and Egypt. The EU expects Israel to implement these measures promptly to ensure aid reaches the population at scale.