US Secretary of State Antony Blinken conveyed gratitude to Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi for the crucial role in facilitating the safe departure of Americans and other foreign nationals from Gaza, according to a statement released on Friday night.
As of Thursday, 79 American citizens and their family members had successfully crossed into Egypt through the Rafah border crossing, as reported by the White House.
The figures, announced by John Kirby, the National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications, highlighted that 74 US citizens and family members crossed the border on Thursday, with an additional five on Wednesday, emphasizing the fluid nature of the situation.
Blinken’s statement also underscored the commitment of both sides to a two-state solution, rejecting any forced relocation of Palestinians outside the Gaza Strip.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry announced its readiness to receive over 7,000 foreign nationals from more than 60 countries in Gaza through the Rafah border crossing.
Preparations include the provision of ambulances and equipped hospitals to handle emergency medical cases among arriving foreigners and Palestinians injured in the Israeli airstrikes since October 7.
An Egyptian official at the crossing estimated that around four hundred foreigners, including 60 wounded individuals, were expected to cross the border on Thursday.
The previous day, a total of 361 foreigners and dual nationals, including 46 seriously wounded individuals and their companions, successfully left Gaza, as stated by the Egyptian official.
