Hamas govt suspends evacuation of foreigners to Egypt: border official

Palestinian health ministry ambulances cross the gate to enter the Rafah border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip before crossing into Egypt on November 1, 2023. (Photo by Mohammed Abed / AFP)

Agence France-Presse

Gaza’s Hamas government suspended the evacuation of foreign passport holders to Egypt Saturday after Israel refused to allow some wounded Palestinians to be evacuated to Egyptian hospitals, a border official said.

“No foreign passport holder will be able to leave the Gaza Strip until wounded people who need to be evacuated from hospitals in north Gaza are transported through the Rafah crossing” to Egypt, the official said on condition of anonymity.

An Egyptian security source confirmed to AFP that “no wounded person or holder of a foreign passport arrived at the Egyptian terminal” of Rafah on Saturday.

He said the evacuation was suspended “after the bombing of ambulances transporting injured people who were on their way to the Egyptian terminal”.

On Friday, the Israeli army announced it had struck an ambulance outside Al-Shifa hospital, Gaza’s largest, saying it was “used by a Hamas terrorist cell”.

At least 15 people were killed and 60 wounded in the strike, according to the health ministry in Gaza.

Israel launched a war against Hamas in Gaza following the October 7 attacks which claimed 1,400 lives – mostly civilians – according to Israel.

The Hamas-run health ministry says air, land and sea attacks on Gaza have killed nearly 9,500 Palestinians.

Popular

Palace slams Imee’s ‘baseless’ claims; PBBM unfazed by destabilizers, obstructionists

By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet “Hindi mabigat ang alegasyon ni Senator Imee—walang basehan. Kuwentong walang kuwenta, kuwentong kutsero.” President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. remains unbothered by political...

PH economy remains resilient amid various domestic issues

By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet Malacañang announced on Tuesday that the country’s economy remains strong in the face of various issues that plague the administration of...

PBBM appoints new DOJ chief

By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet A month after appointing former Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla as the new Ombudsman, President Ferdinand R. Marcos...

PBBM visits Tino-hit Negros Occidental

By Brian Campued As part of the administration’s commitment to supporting the recovery of communities devastated by recent calamities, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. visited...