Egypt will help evacuate "about 7,000" foreigners and dual nationals from the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday. For the first time after weeks of deadly fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants since the Hamas attacks of October 7, the Rafah border crossing opened on Wednesday to let people out of Gaza.
In a meeting with foreign diplomats, assistant foreign minister Ismail Khairat said Egypt was preparing "to facilitate the reception and evacuation of foreign citizens from Gaza through the Rafah crossing".
Khairat said that involved "about 7,000" people, representing "more than 60" nationalities.
The statement did not offer specific details or a timeline for the Egyptian evacuation plan.
Egyptian officials said 76 wounded Palestinians and 335 foreign passport holders had crossed into Egypt on Wednesday.
Among those who crossed were 31 Austrians, four Italians, five French nationals and some Germans, their governments said.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said US citizens had also crossed from Gaza but declined to give a number.
The Hamas-run health ministry has said intense Israeli bombardment has killed nearly 8,800 people in Gaza, two-thirds of them women and children, since the fighting erupted after the October 7 attacks that Israeli officials say left 1,400 people dead.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
40 School Children Injured As Speeding Bus Overturns In Haryana's Panchkula
Egypt Says Guard Killed In Shooting At Rafah Border, Probe Launched Indian Woman Evacuated From War-Torn Gaza Through Rafah Border Crossing Rafah Crossing Closed Due To "Security Circumstance", Says US Shankaracharya Backs Rahul Gandhi After Row Over "Hindus Violent" Remark "Real Luxury": Woman's Post On Quality Of Life In India Vs US Sparks Debate In Sena Leader's Call To Son After BMW Crash, A Big Porsche Case Parallel Hours Before BMW Crash, Sena Leader's Son Was Drinking At A Bar, Bill Emerges "Soldiers Live On...": Mother Of Army Officer Honoured With Shaurya Chakra PM Modi Arrives In Russia To Hold Summit Talks With Putin Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.