Amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, 400 American citizens have been given clearance to depart.
The State Department is actively organizing specific departure dates for these individuals, aiming to notify those in Gaza who have been in contact with the department.
However, complications have arisen for some, such as Folla Saqer, a U.S. permanent resident, who was told she couldn’t cross the Rafah border into Egypt with her two U.S. citizen children. Her husband, Ramiz Younis, from Arkansas, has filed a lawsuit pleading for assistance in evacuating his family and other Palestinian Americans.
Not only Americans but also citizens from various countries including Mexico, Hungary, Croatia, South Korea, and more are trapped in Gaza. The situation has left thousands of foreign passport holders stranded. After prolonged negotiations involving Egypt, Israel, and Gaza’s Hamas rulers, the first group, comprising 335 foreign passport-holders, critically wounded patients, and aid organization staff, successfully left through the Rafah border.
The process has been challenging, with many waiting for their chance to leave. However, progress has been made as the first group managed to exit, including aid workers from organizations such as Doctors Without Borders and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
A large group gathered at the Egyptian border gate, seeking to escape the conflict. On Wednesday, after enduring weeks of uncertain negotiations, the Rafah crossing—the only exit point for Gazans—opened.
The first batch to leave comprised 335 foreign passport-holders, predominantly Palestinian dual citizens, along with a few other foreigners. Additionally, 76 severely injured individuals, bound for Egyptian medical facilities, and aid organization personnel, including Doctors Without Borders, the Red Cross, and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, were among those permitted to exit.
These individuals had been waiting for the Hamas authorities to call their names via a loudspeaker. The process was fraught with repeated delays and negotiations involving Egypt, Israel, and Gaza’s ruling Hamas faction.
This event marked the first significant movement of people out of the Gaza region in three weeks, signifying a brief reprieve for those attempting to leave the conflict zone.
