CAIRO: Israel and Egypt on Saturday agreed to allow US citizens to leave the Gaza Strip via the Rafah crossing, amidst the ongoing Israeli airstrikes targeting residential and commercial buildings in Gaza Strip, a US official said who accompanied Secretary of State Antony Blinken on his regional tour.
According to the agreement, the only crossing from Gaza to Egypt will be open from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm (0900-1400 GMT). While there was no immediate confirmation of the agreement being implemented, the intention was to facilitate the safe passage of American citizens trapped in the conflict zone, the official stated.
Trapped US Citizens in Gaza Strip
Approximately 500-600 US citizens in the Gaza Strip sought assistance in leaving the embattled territory, prompting the urgent need for a safe exit strategy. It remains unclear at this point if citizens of other nationalities have been able to leave the area.
The situation in the region escalated after Israel warned over a million of Palestinian civilians to evacuate the northern part of the blockaded Gaza Strip, raising concerns of a possible ground invasion.
