A first group of people with foreign passports crossed the Rafah terminal, a border post towards Egypt, this Wednesday, under an agreement mediated by Qatar, following the conflicts between Israel and Hamas, according to the international press.
Evacuees were taken in ambulances through the Rafah border crossing. Under the terms of the agreement reached between Egypt, Israel and Hamas, several foreigners and seriously injured people will be allowed to leave the besieged territory.
The statements were made to the France-Presse news agency (AFP), by an employee at the Rafah terminal, in southern Gaza, who asked not to be identified and did not give details about the number of people, nor the time of the crossing.
According to foreign embassies, cited by Lusa, citizens from 44 countries and 28 agencies, official organizations and foreign non-governmental organizations are in the Gaza Strip.
An Egyptian security source had previously said that up to 500 foreign passport holders will pass through the Rafah border crossing on Wednesday. Around 200 people were waiting on the Palestinian side of the border on Wednesday morning, the source said, cited by Reuters.
A Western official said a list of people with foreign passports who can leave Gaza has been agreed between Israel and Egypt and that relevant embassies have been informed. An Israeli official who requested anonymity confirmed that Israel was coordinating the departures with Egypt.
