Italy working to get its nationals out of Gaza, foreign minister says

Rome: Italy is working to get the first Italian citizens out of the Gaza Strip, the Italian foreign minister said on Wednesday.

“This morning the Rafah crossing was opened and the first people started to be evacuated. We are working so that the first Italians can also leave the Gaza Strip,” Antonio Tajani said on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

He added the Italian embassy in Cairo was ready to receive them.

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The minister was also quoted as saying by ANSA newswire he hoped the first Italians could leave Gaza on Wednesday.

The first injured Gazans were evacuated to Egypt through the Rafah crossing on Wednesday under a deal brokered by Qatar and were being examined by medical teams who were directing them to hospitals.

Last week, Tajani said the government was trying to bring a group of 18 people out of Gaza. Seven of them hold Italian citizenship, seven have dual Italian-Palestinian citizenship and four of them are relatives with Palestinian passports.

Meanwhile, Britain said the departure of its nationals from Gaza would likely take place in stages over the coming days.

“We understand the (Rafah) crossing will be open for controlled and time-limited periods to allow specific groups of foreign nationals and the seriously wounded to leave,” Britain’s foreign office said in a post on X.

“It is therefore likely the departure of British nationals from Gaza will take place in stages over the coming days.”