Britons remain trapped in Gaza as hundreds of foreign nationals flee

The Rafah border crossing with Egypt was opened to allow foreign passport holders and the wounded to leave Gaza.

Palestinians wait to cross into Egypt at Rafah, Gaza Strip (Fatima Shbair/AP) (AP)

Britons trapped in the Gaza Strip have been unable to leave the war-torn territory despite intensive diplomatic efforts to get them across the border to Egypt.

Hundreds of foreign passport holders have been able to get through the Rafah crossing for the first time since the Israel-Hamas war erupted.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly promised that UK teams would be ready to assist British nationals who are able to make the crossing.

But Britons trying to leave have been turned back, while the UK continues intensive diplomatic efforts to ensure they can make the journey from the war-torn territory to the safety of Egypt.

The Government has provided the Israeli and Egyptian authorities with a list of British nationals and their dependants and is pressing for them to be able to leave as soon as it is practically possible.

It is hoped by officials that the departure of British nationals from Gaza will take place in stages over the coming days.

Mr Cleverly said: “UK teams are ready to assist British nationals as soon as they are able to leave.

“It’s vital that lifesaving humanitarian aid can enter Gaza as quickly as possible.”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Mr Cleverly and Middle East minister Lord Ahmad have worked with counterparts in Egypt, Israel and Qatar to try to ensure that British nationals will be among those able to leave the Gaza Strip.

The Government is understood to be pressing at the most senior levels for Britons to be allowed out as soon as possible.

The border is expected to be open for time-limited periods under strict controls to allow specific groups of foreign nationals and the seriously wounded to leave.

The list of those allowed out has been agreed between Egypt and Israel, with the embassies from the relevant countries informed in advance.

The UK has a Border Force team in Cairo, with consular officials in Arish, near Rafah, to provide support for Britons who leave Gaza.

English language teacher Zaynab Wandawi, a British national born in Salford, was turned away at the border.

Her mother Lalah Ali Faten, from Prestwich in north Manchester, told the PA news agency: “They (Ms Wandawi and her family members) went to the border,  they were denied exit, they were informed that British nationals are not leaving today, their names are not on the list.”

She said it “kind of gets me upset with the Foreign Office, to be honest”, adding: “Why are you not prioritising your citizens when other countries have managed to do the same for theirs?”

She said she called the Foreign Office to ask whether UK nationals would be able to leave “and they didn’t know, they said we don’t have that information”.

She added: “I’m grateful that they’re still alive, I’m grateful they’ve not been injured, they just deserve better support and care from the Foreign Office to be honest.”

Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf’s in-laws also remain trapped in the Gaza Strip.

Mr Yousaf’s parents-in-law, Elizabeth and Maged El-Nakla, from Dundee, travelled to Gaza to visit family before the conflict erupted.

In a statement, the First Minister’s spokesman said: “We continue to liaise with the UK Government and urge them to work with the Egyptian authorities so that all UK nationals can urgently leave Gaza as quickly as possible.

“The First Minister’s wife, Nadia, spoke to her mother this morning. The family remains trapped in Gaza, without clean drinking water, and rapidly diminishing supplies.”

Labour frontbencher Jess Phillips, MP for Birmingham Yardley, said: “My constituents telling me that they have not got out today and don’t think any British Nationals have. Some clarity on this would be helpful.”

Alongside more than 300 foreign passport holders, dozens of severely injured Palestinians were evacuated across the border at Rafah.

As Tel Aviv’s forces stepped up operations against the Hamas group, which carried out the October 7 atrocities in Israel, Mr Cleverly also stressed the need for humanitarian aid to get into Gaza.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said Israel’s air strikes on the Jabalia refugee camp on Tuesday, targeting a Hamas commander, are part of the “terrible nature” of the conflict.

Asked by Sky News whether Israel has broken international law with the strikes, he said: “Hamas is a terrorist organisation that has murdered in cold blood over 1,000 innocent Israeli men, women and children, and now seeks to hide amongst the civilian population. This is a very difficult conflict.

“We continue to urge the Israeli government to abide by international law. I believe that the Israeli government is continuing to do so against an enemy that hides among civilians.”

Israeli forces were reported to have targeted Jabalia again on Wednesday.

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 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 cabinet development minister Lisa Nandy were in Cairo for talks about the crisis.

Mr Lammy said: “There is an urgent need to alleviate humanitarian suffering in Gaza and a DEC appeal with Government backing would help galvanise the public’s efforts to help those in need.

“We must also begin to plan for the large-scale reconstruction that will be required for the people of Gaza to live in peace and dignity.

“In the long term, there can only be a political solution based on a two-state solution.”