Egypt to help evacuate ‘about 7,000’ Gaza foreign nationals

Egypt is set to help evacuate “about 7,000” foreigners and dual nationals from Gaza, Egyptian foreign ministry said on Thursday.

The Rafah border crossing opened on Wednesday to let people out of the bombarded area.

Assistant foreign minister Ismail Khairat said in a meeting with foreign diplomats that Egypt was working “to facilitate the reception and evacuation of foreign citizens from Gaza through the Rafah crossing”.

Khairat added that these include “about 7,000” people, representing “more than 60” nationalities.

The statement did not, however, provide specific details or a timeline for the Egyptian evacuation plan.

Egypt welcomed around 76 wounded Palestinians and 335 foreign passport holders on Wednesday.

Among the foreigners who crossed were 31 Austrians, four Italians, five French nationals and a number of Germans, the European governments said.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that a number of US citizens had also crossed from Gaza but did not give a number.

The Israeli bombardment has killed more than 8,800 people in Gaza, two-thirds of them women and children.