Rafah crossing may open for only 'limited time', warns US Embassy in Israel

The US Embassy in Israel on Monday warned Gaza residents who were hoping to evacuate using the Rafah Crossing Point — the Hamas-controlled enclave's border crossing with Egypt — that if the crossing opens, then it might be only for a "limited time".

In an advisory, the embassy said that the Rafah crossing will open at 9 am on Monday, citing media reports, which were later denied by Israel.

"We anticipate that the situation at the Rafah crossing will remain fluid and unpredictable and it is unclear whether, or for how long, travelers will be permitted to transit the crossing. 

"If you assess it to be safe, you may wish to move closer to the Rafah border crossing — there may be very little notice if the crossing opens and it may only open for a limited time," the advisory added.

On Sunday, following =talks with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, US secretary of state Antony Blinken had said, "Rafah will be open".

The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt is the only remaining outlet to get people out of the enclave and supplies into it. But it remained closed for much of the past week.