Sunak vows to ensure safe evacuation of British nationals from Gaza
Prime minister appreciates Egypt for its role in helping to allow some to leave via Rafah border crossing
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Rishi Sunak said the UK will continue to work closely with Egypt and Israel to ensure more British citizens can leave Gaza safely.
The prime minister thanked Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for his efforts to help the first British nationals leave Gaza via the Rafah border crossing into Egypt on Wednesday.
Officials said the crossing will be open for ācontrolled and time-limited periodsā to allow specific groups of foreign nationals and the seriously injured to leave Gaza.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said it has agreed, with Egyptian and Israeli authorities, a list of British nationals that want to leave Gaza.
A Downing Street spokesperson said of Mr Sunakās call with the Egyptian president: āHe welcomed the opening of the Rafah crossing today for the first British and other nationals and injured Palestinians to leave Gaza.
āThe prime minister thanked President Sisi for his efforts and said the UK would continue to work closely with Egypt and Israel to ensure all British citizens can leave Gaza safely.
āThe leaders talked about urgent work to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and the prime ,inister updated on plans for a second UK aid flight to support the work of the Egyptian Red Crescent. He said ensuring life-saving aid and medical treatment reaches civilians by all available routes is a top priority and the UK stands ready to provide further support.
āThe prime minister and President Sisi also discussed diplomatic efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas, prevent escalation in the wider Middle East and achieve long-term peace and prosperity for the Palestinian people.ā
A spokesperson for the FCDO earlier said: āWe will continue working with partners to ensure the crossing is opened again, allowing vital aid into Gaza and more British nationals to leave safely.
āWe are regularly updating all British nationals registered us.
āThe crossing will be open for controlled and time-limited periods to allow specific groups of foreign nationals and the seriously wounded to leave.
āWe have agreed a list of British nationals that want to leave Gaza with Egyptian and Israeli authorities. We will be informed in advance when those on the list can use the crossing to ensure we can provide assistance.ā
The UK has a Border Force team in Cairo, with consular officials in Arish, near Rafah, to provide support for Britons who leave Gaza.
Hamas is a terrorist organisation and what happened in Israel is horrendous by any measure.
Protesters, some waving Palestinian flags, shouted āceasefire nowā as US vice president Kamala Harris arrived in Downing Street for a meeting with Mr Sunak on Wednesday evening.
Ms Harris, in her reply to the pairās opening exchanges, said: āI also want to thank you for the position that you and the United Kingdom have taken in terms of what is happening in Israel with Hamas.
āAs weāve both stated, Hamas is a terrorist organisation and what happened in Israel is horrendous by any measure.ā
Ms Harris said Israel has a āright to defend itselfā, there must be āno conflation between the Palestinian people and Hamasā, and there āshould not be any intentional targetingā of civilians.
As Israelās forces stepped up operations against the Hamas group, which carried out the 7 October atrocities in Israel, foreign secretary James Cleverly stressed the need for humanitarian aid to get into Gaza.
The Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war has reached 8,525, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza. In the occupied West Bank, more than 122 Palestinians have been killed in violence and Israeli raids.
Labour has called for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to set up an appeal for Gaza, matched by taxpayer funding.
Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy and shadow international development minister Lisa Nandy were in Cairo for talks about the crisis.