BRUSSELS/ROME — In a significant step toward stabilizing the volatile Gaza-Egypt border, Italy announced on Friday the resumption of its participation in the European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) at the Rafah crossing, signaling renewed international commitment to the fragile ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump. The decision, revealed by Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, comes amid the first phase of implementation of Trump's ambitious 20-point peace proposal, which has already seen Israeli forces begin partial withdrawals from Gaza and the release of hostages and prisoners. As displaced Palestinians trickle back to their ruined homes in northern Gaza, the reopening of Rafah—set for October 14—promises to ease one of the world's most acute humanitarian crises, though experts warn of lingering risks from unresolved governance and security challenges.
Crosetto's announcement, made in coordination with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, follows a thorough security evaluation by Italy's Joint Operations Command. Speaking to reporters in Rome, Crosetto emphasized the mission's role in fostering a "neutral third-party presence" at the crossing, which has been largely shuttered since Israel's military operations intensified in May 2024. "The Rafah crossing, on October 14, 2025, in compliance with the Trump agreement, in coordination between the European Union and the parties, will be opened alternately in two directions: exit to Egypt and entry to Gaza," Crosetto stated. He authorized Chief of the Defense Staff Gen. Luciano Portolano to reinstate Italian operations under protocols mirroring those from January 25, 2025, when EUBAM briefly reactivated during a prior truce.
Established in 2005 as part of the EU's effort to bolster Palestinian border management post-Israeli disengagement from Gaza, EUBAM Rafah was designed to monitor pedestrian and limited vehicular traffic while supporting local authorities. Its suspension in 2007, after Hamas seized control of Gaza, marked a low point in international engagement at the site. The mission's revival now involves personnel from Italy, Spain, and France, with Italian Carabinieri—Italy's national gendarmerie—playing a pivotal role in on-the-ground monitoring. Crosetto noted that Israeli engineers are accelerating repairs to the crossing's damaged infrastructure, which sustained heavy blows during the conflict, including airstrikes and ground incursions that left craters and debris strewn across the Palestinian side.
The timing aligns closely with the ceasefire's activation on October 10, following Israel's ratification of the deal in the early hours of Friday. Under the agreement, approximately 600 trucks laden with humanitarian aid—carrying essentials like food, medicine, and construction materials—will enter Gaza daily through alternative crossings such as Kerem Shalom and Erez, bypassing Rafah initially to avoid bottlenecks. Crosetto highlighted that pedestrian access will extend beyond emergency medical evacuations: "The passage of personnel will not be limited to serious medical cases, but will be extended to anyone who wishes," subject to approvals from Israel and Egypt. This expansion could facilitate family reunifications and the exit of vulnerable groups, including the elderly and children, amid reports of over 67,000 Palestinian deaths since October 7, 2023, and widespread malnutrition affecting thousands more.
Italy's move underscores a broader European push to reclaim influence in the post-ceasefire landscape. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas welcomed the development, stating on social media that EUBAM's return would "support Palestinian border personnel and allow the transfer of individuals out of Gaza, including those who need medical care." Yet, the mission's success hinges on delicate trilateral coordination: Egypt controls the Sinai side, wary of spillover militancy; Israel maintains a security perimeter; and Palestinian factions, including a diminished Hamas, vie for operational say. Sources familiar with the talks indicate that the Palestinian Authority (PA)—Hamas's West Bank-based rival—will initially manage the Gaza side under EU oversight, a concession that has irked hardliners on both ends.
This resurgence of Italian involvement caps a two-year odyssey of diplomatic maneuvering in a conflict that has reshaped global alliances. The war erupted on October 7, 2023, with Hamas's assault on southern Israel, killing 1,200 and taking 250 hostages. Israel's retaliatory campaign leveled much of Gaza, displacing 90% of its 2.3 million residents and triggering famine warnings from the United Nations. Earlier ceasefires—in November 2023 and January 2025—crumbled under mutual accusations of violations, the latter collapsing in March 2025 amid an Israeli surprise offensive. Enter Trump, whose September 29 unveiling of the 20-point plan at the White House—flanked by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—reignited hopes. The blueprint demands the release of all 48 remaining Israeli hostages (living and deceased) in exchange for 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences and 1,700 detained since the war's onset.
Phase one, now underway, mandates an immediate ceasefire, phased Israeli withdrawals from urban areas (retaining a buffer zone until threats subside), and unrestricted aid flows via UN agencies and the Red Crescent—mirroring January 2025 protocols. Points 7 and 8 explicitly call for rehabilitating Gaza's water, electricity, sewage systems, hospitals, and bakeries, with equipment for rubble clearance entering unhindered. By midday Friday, Israeli troops had retreated to agreed lines in central and northern Gaza, allowing thousands of Palestinians—many hauling salvaged belongings on donkey carts—to venture north through dust-choked roads lined with collapsed high-rises. Videos circulating on social media captured scenes of jubilation tempered by grief: families sifting through bomb craters for heirlooms, children kicking soccer balls amid twisted rebar.
Phase two, negotiations for which begin post-hostage release, envisions a Hamas-free governance model: a transitional technocratic administration backed by Arab and Islamic states, with funding for reconstruction and limited PA input. Hamas's disarmament is non-negotiable, with amnesty offered to compliant members and safe passage for those opting to emigrate. Palestinian factions have balked at "foreign oversight," per recent statements, while Israeli settler advocates like Daniella Weiss have voiced intentions to expand settlements, prompting accusations of ethnic cleansing. Trump, posting on Truth Social, claimed "for the most part, there is consensus" on subsequent stages, announcing visits to Israel and Egypt to seal details.
Italy's pledge amplifies its proactive stance. Tajani, speaking at a Rome press conference, affirmed Rome's readiness to escalate contributions: "We can send the Carabinieri, we can send army troops. We have Carabinieri who are already in Palestine, so they know the territory. If this request comes, we are ready to do our part to build peace, to build the Palestinian state of the future." Italy has evacuated 181 Gaza children for treatment in hospitals like Rome's Bambino Gesù and hosted Palestinian students via "university corridors," positioning itself as the EU's top rescuer of Gazan lives. Tajani's recent call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated Italy's commitment to Trump's plan, including military roles in a potential UN-backed stabilization force and private-sector involvement in rebuilding schools and hospitals.
Prime Minister Meloni echoed this, hailing the deal as "extraordinary news" and pledging Italian firms for Gaza's reconstruction—eyeing a "Riviera of the Middle East" vision. Rome seeks seats on Trump's "Board of Peace," chaired by the U.S. president alongside figures like Tony Blair, to oversee funding until PA reforms enable full control. This aligns with Italy's €35 million aid package, split between UNRWA and "Food for Gaza" initiatives with the FAO and Red Crescent. Yet, domestic tensions simmer: A May ICC complaint accused Meloni, Tajani, and Crosetto of genocide complicity via pre-2023 arms sales to Israel, though officials insist deliveries ceased for civilian use.
Regionally, mediators Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey facilitated the Sharm el-Sheikh signing on October 9, with Trump crediting their "tireless" efforts. Netanyahu thanked Trump for "this sacred mission," while Hamas's Khalil al-Hayya declared a "permanent ceasefire" implementation. As of Saturday, 20 living hostages were en route home, with full exchanges due by mid-week.
Challenges persist. Gaza's infrastructure—80% destroyed, per UN estimates—demands billions, with a November Cairo conference slated to pledge funds. Hezbollah's northern front simmers, and Iranian proxies loom. Public sentiment in Italy, buoyed by pro-Palestinian protests, pressures Meloni's coalition, which abstained on UN Palestine upgrades but backs Arab rebuilding plans.
For Gazans like those trekking home—past schools turned rubble heaps—the reopening of Rafah symbolizes not just passage, but possibility. A young mother, interviewed by Reuters amid the exodus, clutched her toddler: "We've lost everything, but this ceasefire gives us breath to rebuild." As EUBAM personnel prepare to deploy, Italy's return to Rafah isn't mere symbolism; it's a thread in the tapestry of a peace that, for the first time in years, feels within reach—though its weave remains perilously thin.
