'Heavily pregnant woman' among first Irish citizens leaving Gaza through Rafah border crossing
File At Aziz Crossing Photo/omar Egypt Picture: Rafah Policemen Port, Ap Stand
A heavily pregnant woman, children, and family groups are among 23 Irish citizens to have been processed through the border from Gaza today, the Tánaiste has confirmed
A “significant number” of Irish citizens on the list to evacuate Gaza are now being processed on the Egyptian border.
Confirming that Irish people are passing through the Rafah crossing, Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin said a diplomatic team is now on the ground with transport waiting to take citizens on to Cairo.
"They're in good form, not all of them would have known each other but they're now bonding well at Rafah," said Mr Martin.
He hopes that other citizens who were also on the exit list, but may not have been able to make it to the Egyptian border crossing, will get out as early Thursday. Intensive work continues to get the remaining Irish passport holders out.
The 23 who have been evacuated will now be brought to Cairo, where they will receive medical attention if needed and other supports, including the arrangement of onward travel to Ireland.
It is understood that up to 30 Irish citizens had been included on Wednesday's list of evacuees and had been told to make their way to the border for 7am.
Calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and a “dramatic increase in aid at scale”, Mr Martin said the situation in Gaza is now “extremely grave”.
Mr Martin and Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry briefed the media after both politicians met in Cairo to discuss the situation in Gaza and Israel.
The Tánaiste thanked his Egyptian counterpart for his efforts in raising the case of eight-year-old Emily Hand through “various channels”.
“We are very focused on the case of Emily Hand,” Mr Martin said.
“There is a very strong appreciation of the humanitarian situation here, the trauma of a young child.” Mr Shoukry said Egypt will spare no effort in supporting people in Gaza.
But he added that the responsibility shouldn’t be shouldered fully by Egypt, stating that the international community has a role to play in ensuring aid gets in and evacuations continue.