EU-monitored Rafah pedestrian crossing to reopen next week: Italy

An EU mission at the Rafah border point between Gaza and Egypt will resume following the ceasefire, with the pedestrian crossing due to reopen on October 14, Italy has said. The EUBAM monitoring mission is intended to provide a neutral, third-party presence at the key crossing and involves police from Italy, Spain and France. It was deployed in January but suspended in March. Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said he had authorised the resumption of Italian operations within the EU mission for the reopening of the crossing under the same conditions as in January.