Hamas has officially rejected Egypt's ceasefire proposal on Wednesday, over a day after it was due to take effect.
It appears than any agreement to end the fighting in the Gaza Strip would force Egypt to open the Rafah border crossing on a more regular basis than it is opened currently.
- Since the election of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Egypt, the crossing has been opening for only a few days each month and the movement through it has been limited to mostly students and humanitarian cases.
Assessments are that Egypt will set one condition to the more frequent opening of the crossing - for Hamas to give over control of the border crossing to the Palestinian Authority.
Israel, however, would prefer having international elements operating the border passing - something that has failed in the past.