UPDATE - US says Rafah border crossing closed due to 'security circumstance'

ADDS BACKGROUND

By Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US said Wednesday that the Rafah border crossing remains closed because of a “security circumstance.”

“Our understanding is that given a security circumstance that brought the border closing, Rafah border crossing remains closed today,” State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.

“But this is something that we are continuing to work with, in partnership with the government of Egypt and the government of Israel,” he said.

Patel said the US expects the border crossing will be reopened at “regular intervals” to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza and foreign nationals and others to depart once security circumstances are resolved.

Scores of injured Palestinians and foreign passport holders were evacuated from the Gaza Strip to Egypt via the Rafah border crossing in recent days, according to Palestinian sources.

Israel launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.​​​​​​​

At least 10,569 Palestinians, including 4,324 children and 2,823 women, have been killed.

The Israeli death toll nears 1,600, according to official figures.