Khaberni - Satellite images have revealed expansion works and notable arrangements at an existing Israeli military point on Salah al-Din Street near the Rafah crossing in southern Gaza Strip, at the same time that the Tel Aviv government announced its approval to open the crossing partially and under full Israeli supervision.
The satellite images obtained by Al Jazeera's Digital Investigations Unit, taken between December 31st of last year and January 17th of this year, show developments at the military point, which included the positioning of Israeli tanks and soldier sites and a new expansion connected with an entrance and exit on Salah al-Din road towards the Rafah crossing.
The images also document more evident field changes after mid-this month, represented by leveling areas adjacent to the point and preparing the area in a way that suggests it is ready for new monitoring tasks related to the movement of crossing.
The checkpoint is located within the Israeli control areas in the city of Rafah, about 4.5 kilometers from the Palestinian side of the crossing.
The analysis of the images concluded that the geographical location of the checkpoint on Salah al-Din road before reaching the Rafah crossing gives the Israeli army the ability to control the movement of travelers and apply inspection or interrogation procedures outside the scope of any Palestinian or international supervision announced.
The new Israeli plan for managing the crossing includes establishing a modern crossing equipped with advanced inspection systems, including identity verification, X-ray examination, and close monitoring of the movement of travelers, under full Israeli security supervision.
Israeli sources indicate that the European Union will manage the Palestinian side of the new crossing, coordinated with the Palestinian General Intelligence Service, on which the names of the crossers to be referred to the Israeli Shin Bet for final security reviews.
Channel 12 Israeli news reported an American official saying that the Rafah crossing is expected to be opened by the end of this week.
Today, Monday, the Israeli army found the body of the last prisoner in Gaza Strip, the policeman Ran Guilley, after announcing on Sunday the search for his remains in the Batsh Cemetery in the Tuffah quarter east of Gaza City.
In the past months, Israel has linked the reopening of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt with the recovery of the body of its last prisoner from the sector.
