The US State Department said on Saturday it is still working to get Americans out of Gaza as negotiations over the exit of foreigners and the delivery of aid continue.
Reuters reported that the planned evacuation of foreigners from the Gaza Strip had been stalled due to the lack of a deal with Israel and the United States to deliver aid to the enclave. Aid deliveries arrived by plane to the area on Saturday but are being held until an agreement on delivery to Gaza is reached, according to the outlet, which cited Egyptian security and aid sources.
Egypt says its side of the Rafah border crossing connecting to Gaza is open, but traffic is stalled due to the Israeli bombardment.
A State Department spokesperson told Al-Monitor on Saturday it has informed US citizens that they may want to move closer to Rafah if they deem it safe to do so. There may be little notice if the crossing opens, and it may only stay open for a limited time. The department is continuing to work on the safe exit of US citizens from Gaza, according to the spokesperson.
The State Department and the Egyptian Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to Al-Monitor’s request for information on the negotiations over aid deliveries.
Reuters reported that it is unclear whether Hamas will allow people access to Rafah.
The Wall Street Journal similarly reported on Saturday that Egypt refused to allow Americans and other foreigners to cross through Rafah unless an agreement on aid deliveries to Gaza is reached.
The US State Department estimates that there are roughly 600 US citizens in Gaza.
Why it matters: Rafah is Gaza’s sole border crossing that is not controlled by Israel and is therefore important for international aid deliveries to the embattled enclave. Israel and Egypt have maintained a blockade over Gaza since 2007 when Hamas seized power there.
The situation in Gaza is worsening. On Saturday, the United Nations aid agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said that nearly 1 million people have been displaced since the war between Israel and Hamas began a week ago — nearly half the population. Hundreds of thousands have been displaced in the past 12 hours alone, according to a UNRWA press release.
Palestinian authorities reported more deadly Israeli airstrikes against Gaza on Saturday. The Israel Defense Forces reported strikes against Hamas targets, as well as rocket fire from Gaza toward southern Israel.
Israel has ordered some 1.1 million Palestinian civilians in northern Gaza to move south — closer to Rafah — in recent days for their own safety, a move that has been criticized by the UN.
Egypt is concerned about an exodus of Palestinians into its territory. On Thursday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called on Gazans to “stay steadfast and remain on their land.”
Know more: The Israeli army confirmed on Saturday its preparation for a full invasion of Gaza by land, air and sea. The news came as the death toll among Palestinians surpassed 2,200 and remained around 1,300 for Israelis.