EU welcomes Israeli green light to extend Gaza border mission

The European Union expressed satisfaction on Thursday with Israel's approval to prolong the duration of its border assistance mission at the Rafah crossing, situated between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, as well as the occupied West Bank, until mid-2027.

The EU delegation's chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, welcomed the Israeli decision to prolong the mandate of the civilian European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM). Initially established in 2005 to oversee the critical crossing, the mission had been on standby for nearly two decades. The Rafah crossing was entirely closed during Israel's military campaign in Gaza but has experienced limited operation since February, with staff from the EU reporting over 10,000 individuals having since crossed between Gaza and Egypt.

Kallas emphasized that Israeli authorities had consented to extend the mandates of both the Rafah monitoring mission and the EUPOL COPPS scheme. The latter provides training for Palestinian police forces and advice on rebuilding Gaza's judicial system. She termed the extension as "an important step after months of diplomatic negotiations."

According to Kallas, the missions serve a specific purpose, which includes enhancing the safety and efficiency of crossings, bolstering Palestinian police, and bolstering stability in the region. She conveyed these points on her X account.