British citizens residing in Gaza have been advised to be prepared in case the Rafah border crossing into Egypt becomes accessible. This crossing, situated in the southern region of Gaza, is
currently the sole route out of the territory, subject to control by Hamas, Egypt, and Israel in determining who is permitted to cross.
This development follows the departure of a third UK government charter flight from Israel. On Sunday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will host King Abdullah of Jordan to discuss the ongoing conflict.
In the past week, the supply of essential resources such as water, food, and energy to Gaza has been disrupted, prompting global concerns about a potential humanitarian crisis in the region.
The Israeli government has advised the 1.1 million residents in northern Gaza to relocate to the south in anticipation of a ground offensive targeting Hamas, which launched a series of attacks in Israel resulting in over 1,300 casualties last weekend. Tragically, at least 17 British nationals are either missing or confirmed as deceased following these incursions. The UK government estimates that up to 60,000 British citizens are currently in Israel or Gaza.
In a statement released on Saturday, the UK's Foreign Office disclosed that it is collaborating with Egyptian authorities to arrange for the departure of British and dual nationals, as well as their spouses and children, through the Rafah border crossing.
British nationals have been advised to heed the Israeli government's directives to move to the southern areas and have been notified to be on alert in case the Rafah border crossing becomes operational.
Furthermore, the statement revealed that Mr. Sunak had a discussion earlier this week with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi about the situation, while Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is maintaining contact with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry.
Mr. Cleverly stated, "The UK is committed to supporting British nationals in Israel and Gaza following this brutal terror attack by Hamas. The safety of all British nationals is our priority, and we urge everyone to continue to follow our advice and register their presence so we can get in touch."
Of note, the in-laws of Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf are presently in Gaza, having been visiting relatives there last week. In a video shared on Friday by Mr. Yousaf, his mother-in-law, Elizabeth El-Nakla, conveyed, "Everybody from Gaza is moving towards where we are. One million people. No food. No water."
On Saturday, the US government disclosed that it had been working with Egypt, Israel, and Qatar to facilitate the opening of the Rafah border crossing for a brief period to allow Palestinian-Americans to depart. However, it remained uncertain whether any had been able to do so. A spokesperson for the US State Department advised US citizens to move toward Rafah due to the possibility of limited notice if the crossing opens.
The Foreign Office also reported that three government-chartered flights carrying British nationals have left Israel, with additional flights expected in the coming days. Earlier flights, scheduled for the past week, were postponed due to challenges related to obtaining insurance, as per PA reports.
King Abdullah's office disclosed that his visit to London is part of a European tour aimed at garnering international support to halt the conflict in Gaza. He will also travel to Rome, Berlin, and Paris for discussions concerning the deteriorating situation in Gaza and the imperative need to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian population. Photo by gloucester2gaza, Wikimedia commons.