A US official told AFP that Israel and Egypt agreed to leave the only crossing point between Gaza and Egypt open for five hours on Saturday. Israel ordered Friday to evacuate “all civilians” from Gaza City to the south within 24 hours, ahead of an expected ground offensive against Hamas
Israel and Egypt have given the green light to let the Americans leave the Gaza Strip on Saturday through the Rafah crossing point, an American official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
These two partners of the United States agreed to leave the only crossing point between Gaza and Egypt “open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. (9 a.m. to 2 p.m. GMT),” said an official accompanying Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Riyadh.
Israel ordered Friday to evacuate “all civilians” from Gaza City to the south within 24 hours, ahead of an expected ground offensive against Hamas in retaliation for the deadliest attack in Israel’s history this week last.
At least 500 American citizens affected
The United States does not yet have confirmation that the agreement has been implemented, “but the intention was to open” the passage, the official added to AFP. According to him, Qatar, where Anthony Blinken visited on Friday, urged the Palestinian movement Hamas, with which it maintains close ties, to facilitate the movement of people wanting to leave.
The American official said that 500 to 600 American citizens present in the Gaza Strip had inquired with the relevant authorities about ways to leave the besieged territory. He said he did not know if nationals of other countries had been able to leave the territory.
A “dangerous”, even “impossible” order
“Even wars have rules,” the UN Secretary General warned on Friday before a Security Council on the situation in Israel and Gaza, demanding “immediate” humanitarian access to the Palestinian enclave in a state of siege.
“Moving more than a million people across a densely populated war zone to an area without food, water or shelter, while the entire territory is under siege, is extremely dangerous, and sometimes simply impossible,” Antonio Guterres told the press.
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2023-10-14 10:06:00
#Israel #Egypt #agree #Americans #Gaza