Hundreds of US citizens and residents evacuated from Gaza, White House says
Gaza - More than 300 Americans, US residents, and their families have been evacuated from the Gaza Strip as Israel's bombardment continues, the White House said on Sunday.
"Over the last several days, through pretty intensive negotiations with all sides relevant to this conflict, we have been able to get out more than 300 Americans, lawful permanent residents, and their family members," White House deputy national security advisor Jonathan Finer told CBS News.
He said Washington believes there are still "a number" of Americans remaining in the besieged Palestinian territory.
"This is obviously a major priority and one that we're going to continue to work out until every American who wants to leave is able to do so," Finer said.
The Rafah border crossing from Gaza to Egypt opened up Wednesday after weeks of attacks, allowing a trickle of wounded Palestinians and people with dual nationality to leave, all desperate to escape Israel's bloody assault.
Egypt has said it would help evacuate 7,000 foreigners through the crossing, but Hamas said late Saturday that the evacuation of dual nationals and foreigners was being suspended until Israel lets some wounded Palestinians reach Rafah so they can cross the border for hospital treatment.
A senior White House official on Friday accused Hamas of abusing a US-brokered deal to open the crossing to get its fighters out of Gaza. The US has pledged to full support to Israel and sends billions in funding each year to its military.
American citizens evacuated as Israeli bombardment continues
Sunday's latest count of evacuated Americans comes after the White House said nearly 80 US citizens and their family members had left Wednesday and Thursday.
The fighting in Gaza was triggered by Hamas' raids into Israel on October 7, which Israeli officials say killed more than 1,400 people, mainly civilians. The move came as Palestinians have suffered decades of violent occupation by the Israeli government, which has been dubbed an apartheid regime by numerous international human rights organizations.
The health ministry in Gaza says more than 9,770 people, mostly women and children, have died in Israel's relentless and indiscriminate bombing campaign.
Cover photo: REUTERS