For the first time since the conflict with Israel began last month, British citizens have been allowed to leave Gaza. Although numbers were kept unspecified, UK passport holders were permitted to cross into Egypt via the Rafah crossing on Wednesday. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office stated that the route would only be open for “controlled and time-limited periods”, allowing injured Palestinians and some foreign nationals to leave the area. An estimated 200 British citizens are currently trapped in Gaza.
Yesterday morning, thousands of people descended on the border in the hope of being let through. However, it quickly became apparent that only those whose names appeared on a list agreed upon by the Israeli and Egyptian governments would be permitted to cross. The UK Foreign Office had already submitted the names of those who wished to be relocated from Gaza.
The situation remained confusing, with only some of those who believed they were on the list actually being allowed through, while British-Palestinian doctor Abdelkader Hammad, who had been told he was in the first group to be let out, found the crossing closed upon his arrival. Observers have pointed out that there is no electronic ID system or passport control in place, with an official manually checking the identity of each person to leave. This has prolonged the process and led to variables in who is allowed to cross the border.
This partial opening of the Rafah crossing comes after international efforts to get Egypt to permit people and aid through. Iranian negotiators in Syria have also apparently been trying to broker a ceasefire in the area. The UK government has confirmed that both medical and consular support has been deployed to the area, with the paid team working some 25 miles away, in Arish, to ensure they can provide the required assistance. Among the British citizens trapped in Gaza are First Minister Humza Yousaf’s in-laws, who are still struggling with a lack of drinking water and depleted supplies
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