Smuggling Attempts Move Gaza Return Screening to Kerem Shalom

Israeli security officials on July 5 moved the Regavim screening process for Gaza residents returning from Egypt through Rafah to Kerem Shalom after repeated smuggling attempts were detected. COGAT said the relocation is a pilot under the ceasefire humanitarian protocol and leaves the Rafah movement mechanism unchanged, including coordination with Egypt, WHO, Israeli security approval and EUBAM supervision. Roughly 4,500 Gazans have exited to Egypt and 4,200 returned, while personnel intercepted cigarettes, tobacco, hookahs, phones, SIM cards, USB drives and chargers. The move protects humanitarian passage while denying Hamas and smugglers exploitable channels.