Evacuations from war-torn Gaza to Egypt resume
Dozens of foreigners and dual nationals, as well as several wounded Palestinians, were evacuated from the Israeli-bombed Gaza Strip to Egypt on Sunday, reports from both sides of the border said. "Fifty dual nationals arrived at Rafah" on the Egyptian side, along with "seven wounded Palestinians," said AlQahera News, an outlet close to the Egyptian intelligence services. The vast majority of Gaza's 2.4 million residents are unable to escape the war, which erupted between the territory's Hamas rulers and Israel on October 7. The border authority of the Hamas government in Gaza had called late on Saturday for "all foreign passport holders and people on evacuation lists" to report to the terminal, located at the southern tip of the Gaza Strip and leading to the Egyptian Sinai. Since November 1, dozens of wounded Palestinians have been evacuated to Egyptian hospitals, with hundreds of dual nationals and foreigners, including Americans, French, Russians and Poles also leaving through Rafah. The crossing, the only one from Gaza not controlled by Israel, had been closed over Friday and Saturday. The bloodiest-ever Gaza war broke out after Hamas fighters smashed through the militarised border with Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking about 240 people hostage, according to the most recent Israeli figures. Among the captives there are at least 30 children, according to Israeli media. Israel's relentless campaign in response has killed more than 11,000 people, also mostly civilians and including thousands of children, according to the latest figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza. (AFP)