Foreign nationals leave Gaza for Egypt through the Rafah border crossing on Wednesday.
The first groups to leave included five French citizens and 31 Austrian citizens, their respective foreign ministries said. British Foreign Secretary James cleverly stated that “the first British nationals have left Gaza”, without giving a number.
French citizens were not accompanied by non-French relatives or Palestinian workers from French cultural centers, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
They were received by a team from the French embassy in Egypt, the statement said.
The group of Austrians “mainly includes dual citizens who have their life center in Gaza or family visitors, including ten minors, the youngest being a six-year-old girl,” the Austrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“All evacuees are in good condition,” the ministry added.
“It was one of the first countries where citizens were evacuated,” it said.
The group will be taken to accommodation arranged by the embassy, where they can receive medical assistance if needed, the ministry said.
According to a post on social media, Wise called the evacuation of British citizens a “very important first step”.
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) posted a message on social media saying British nationals had crossed the Rafah border from Gaza into Egypt, without specifying the number.
“UK teams are providing assistance on the ground,” the Foreign Office said.
