No Britons are expected to be allowed to escape Gaza today – despite Rishi Sunak promising the crossings are a ‘top priority’.
No-one travelling on a British passport is included on the latest daily list of those who will be allowed to cross into Egypt.
Foreign nationals from other countries including Belgium, Japan and the United States are among 500 names on a list which has been released today. Only two British nationals were on Wednesday’s list.
Earlier today, cabinet minister Michell Donelan insisted the government was trying to get people out “as quickly as we possibly can”.
She said around 200 British citizens had registered with the Foreign Office since the slew of Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7.
“The Foreign Secretary and the Prime Minister have said multiple times it is our top priority to get those British nationals out as quickly as we possibly can,” she said.
It is understood that SNP leader Humaz Yousaf’s parents in law are still inside Gaza.
Labour’s Jess Phillips, the shadow minister for domestic violence and safeguarding, said: “My main concern is that there does not seem to be much movement in getting British people out of Gaza.”
She said she had constituents in Gaza who have had to move seven times to avoid bombardments and were running out of water.
She said she was worried that “we are not seeing any British names being put on to the list of those who are crossing… It does not seem that the British government are having that much sway in getting their people out to Egypt.”
The American President had publicly pushed for more of his citizens to be added to the list, she said: “Biden goes out yesterday and says he wants to see Americans on the list. Today, 400 Americans are on the list.”
But she added that Rishi Sunak’s conversations with the Israeli leader and others did not seem to be making “a difference to (her) constituents. We have no idea if it will be the next few days, this week. What if the crossing closes? … (they) have just been told “just wait”,” she told the BBC’s World at One.
The Israeli authorities said countries with people trapped in Gaza each produced a list of names of those they wanted to evacuate.
Col Elad Goren, spokesperson for the Israeli defence agency that usually liaises with Palestinians, said: “We checked each and every name.
“And after checking it, those who are not a part of terror, we gave the list to the Egyptians, and they’re the ones to evacuate the foreigners from Gaza to Egypt.”
When asked if Israel found any of those with foreign passports were associated with Hamas or other designated terrorist organisations, he added “I cannot respond to this question.”
When asked about the lack of British citizens on the list Col Goren replied: “I am not aware of this. All foreigners can evacuate.”
On Wednesday two UK aid workers were among hundreds of foreign nationals able to flee through the Rafah crossing.
Dozens of seriously injured Palestinians were also allowed to leave the strip for the first time since the war between Israel and Hamas began nearly a month ago.
Rishi Sunak has thanked Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for his efforts to allow the first British nationals to escape through the Rafah border, the only crossing to Gaza not controlled by Israel.
Ms Donelan, the Science Secretary, said the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary James Cleverly were continuing their efforts to get more Britons out.
“The Foreign Office have said that some people have managed to get over that border and we are anticipating that there will be more coming,” she told GB News.
“There is a list of people that are British nationals – 200 I believe is the figure that I have – and our focus is on getting them out as quickly as we possibly can.”
But she also stressed the challenges in getting those trapped out of the enclave.
“We’re not in full control of that border, as you know, so it is very difficult,” she added.
The Foreign Office said it has agreed a list of British nationals that want to leave Gaza with Egyptian and Israeli authorities.
After Mr Sunak held a phone call with the Egyptian president, No 10 said: “He welcomed the opening of the Rafah crossing today for the first British and other nationals and injured Palestinians to leave Gaza.
“The 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.
“The leaders talked about urgent work to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and the Prime Minister updated on plans for a second UK aid flight to support the work of the Egyptian Red Crescent.
“The 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.”
The UK has already sent Border Force teams to Cairo in anticipation that nationals would be allowed to leave Gaza.
