CROWDS GATHER AT RAFA CROSSING AS SOME INJURED AND FOREIGN INTERNATIONALS LIKELY TO LEAVE

 The Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt is expected to open for the first time since Israel's siege began

1. It's thought 88 injured Palestinians and around 500 foreign nationals will be allowed out
2. Ambulances entered Gaza from Egypt this morning and crowds have gathered at the gates
3. In Gaza, phone and internet services are completely cut, the provider Paltel says
4. Israel says 11 soldiers were killed in ground fighting in Gaza on Tuesday, taking the number of Israeli military killed since 7 October to 326
5. Israel is also hitting Gaza from the air, saying more than 11,000 targets have been hit since the war began
6. Israel has been bombing Gaza since the 7 October Hamas attacks that killed 1,400 people with 239 people kidnapped as hostages
7. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says more than 8,500 people have been killed since Israel's retaliatory bombing began.

8. WHO welcomes Egypt's decision to allow patients from Gaza

   

   ReutersCopyright: Reuters

   The head of the World Health Organization says he "welcomes" the agreement to send some seriously injured people from Gaza into Egypt.

   Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says in a post on social media: "We have been working with Egypt's Health Ministry on planning for medical evacuations, and will continue to support."

   He adds: "We need an immediate acceleration in the flow of medical aid permitted into Gaza. Hospitals must be protected from bombardment and military use."

9. UK says people will leave Gaza in 'controlled and time-limited periods'

   The UK's Foreign Office says it understands 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.

   Posting on X, the FCDO said it's likely that the departure of British nationals from Gaza will take place in stages over the coming days.

10. The wounded will leave first, then up to 500 dual nationals per day

    Rushdi Abualouf

    Reporting from the Rafah crossing

    

    Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

    An ambulance at the Rafah crossing on WednesdayImage caption: An ambulance at the Rafah crossing on Wednesday

    I am at the Rafah border crossing, where around 500 people are waiting to cross into Egypt.

    I have spoken to five passport control officers on the Palestinian side, who say they will first process about 88 people with serious injuries - and then start on dual nationals.

    We understand from the authorities here there are about 7,000 people registered as dual nationals in Gaza.

    Five-hundred people per day will be allowed to cross to the Egyptian side of the border.

    As of now, we haven't seen any Hamas-run police officers controlling the area.

    Once the Egyptians approve of all people on the Palestinian side, they will be allowed to cross to the other side of the border.

    This is very significant development, given the the crossing has been totally closed since the beginning of this war.

11. FULL DETAILS AT: Israel Gaza live news: Crowds at Gaza crossing as some injured and foreign nationals likely to leave - BBC News