wounded Palestinians and foreigners were able to leave the Gaza Strip for Egypt

This is a first in 26 days of war between Israel and Hamas. Dozens of foreigners and dual nationals left the Gaza Strip towards Egypt on Wednesday, November 1, crossing the Rafah border terminal, until now only partially open to humanitarian aid convoys. The Egyptian authorities had announced the exceptional opening of this crossing point to allow the evacuation of nearly 90 injured Palestinians and around 545 dual nationals and foreigners.

According to a Palestinian official at the terminal, a total of 88 injured people, including 40 children, women and elderly people, are to leave via Rafah to be treated in Egyptian hospitals. “Children and some elderly people will have chaperones with them”, said the official. Egyptian television broadcast live the entry of the first ambulances on the Egyptian side.

Hamas says it has submitted to Egypt a list of 4,000 wounded requiring surgical care that cannot be provided in the Gaza Strip. “We hope that they will be able to leave in the coming days (…). We must save their lives”said the Health Ministry of the government led by the Islamist movement.