Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Thursday it will help evacuate "about 7,000" foreigners and dual nationals from the war-ravaged Gaza Strip.
For the first time, after weeks of deadly Israeli attacks in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas incursion, the Rafah border crossing opened Wednesday to let people out of Gaza.
In a meeting with foreign diplomats, Assistant Foreign Minister Ismail Khairat said Egypt was preparing "to facilitate the reception and evacuation of foreign citizens from Gaza through the Rafah crossing."
Khairat said that involved "about 7,000" people, representing "more than 60" nationalities.
The statement did not offer specific details or a timeline for the Egyptian evacuation plan.
Egyptian officials said 76 wounded Palestinians and 335 foreign passport holders had crossed into Egypt on Wednesday.
Among those who crossed were 31 Austrians, four Italians, five French nationals and a few Germans, their governments said.
Meanwhile, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said U.S. citizens had also crossed from Gaza but declined to give a definite number.
The Gazan Health Ministry has said intense Israeli bombardment has killed nearly 8,800 people in Gaza since Oct.7, two-thirds of them women and children. Israeli casualties are at 1,400 people.
