Moscow, November 1 – The first group of foreigners has crossed the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, according to reports from Agence France-Presse. The agency stated that “the first foreigners are leaving Gaza and traveling to Egypt through the Rafah checkpoint.” Al Arabiya TV channel reported that a total of 500 people will be evacuated through the border crossing. Earlier, the Palestinian movement Hamas published a list of individuals who are eligible to leave the enclave, including Red Cross staff and citizens of Australia, Austria, Jordan, and Indonesia.
Diplomatic sources cited by the British newspaper Financial Times revealed that initially, Hamas was unable to reach an agreement with the Egyptian authorities on the evacuation of foreigners from the enclave, even with the mediation of the United Nations. However, a solution was eventually found with the involvement of Qatar. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, rooted in territorial interests, has been a source of tension and clashes in the Middle East for decades. The United Nations decided in 1947, with active participation from the Soviet Union, to establish two states – Israel and Palestine. However, only Israel was created.
A new wave of confrontation began after Israel faced an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip on the morning of October 7. Following the massive shelling, Hamas fighters infiltrated border areas in the southern part of the Jewish state, where they opened fire on both military and civilian targets, and took hostages. The military wing of the movement, the Al-Qassam Brigades, announced the launch of the “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation. In response, the Israel Defense Forces launched the “Iron Swords” operation in the Gaza Strip. In the following days, Israeli forces took control of all settlements along the border and began conducting airstrikes on various targets, including civilian ones, within the enclave. Moreover, Israel imposed a complete blockade on Gaza, suspending the supply of water, food, electricity, medication, and fuel.
The number of casualties in the Gaza Strip has surpassed 8,000, with around 18,000 injuries reported. In Israel, more than 1,400 people, including 20 Russians, have died. Additionally, it is estimated that around 250 people may be held captive by Hamas.
