No British citizens are expected to leave Gaza today, despite government assurances that it is a “top priority” to retrieve the 200 Britons trapped in the besieged enclave.
A newly released list complied by Egypt does not include a single British passport holder, while two aid workers were evacuated yesterday after the Rafah crossing opened.
Heavy battles continue in northern Gaza, with an IDF commander saying “We are at the gates of Gaza City”, with the terrain “heavily sown” with minefields and boobytraps.
This comes as the number of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza has been confirmed as 242, the highest figure to be confirmed by the Israeli military.
Meanwhile, the UN has said the Israeli attack on Gaza’s biggest refugee camp could amount to “war crimes”, after 195 Palestinians were killed over the course of a two-day bombardment.
More than 100 people are thought to be missing under the rubble while around 777 people were injured in the attack.
US president Joe Biden called for a humanitarian “pause” in Gaza as Egypt opened the Rafah crossing for the second day to allow evacuations.
