Efforts are underway to secure the release of more British citizens from Gaza after 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, which is home to more than two million people, for the first time since the war with Israel began nearly a month ago.
There are hopes more UK nationals could make it out and into Egypt on Thursday, the PA news agency understands, after around 200 registered in Gaza with the Foreign Office.
The department provided the Israeli and Egyptian authorities with a list of British nationals and their dependents, prioritising by medical vulnerability. The total is thought to be in the low hundreds.
Border Force officials deployed in Egypt to help UK nationals have been bolstered by the arrival of a rapid deployment team from the Foreign Office and psychosocial support experts from the British Red Cross.
Downing Street confirmed that two UK aid workers were among those to make it through the Rafah crossing, which is the only gateway to Gaza not controlled by Israel.
Israeli forces were pushing deeper into Gaza as air strikes struck a refugee camp for a second time in as many days, adding to the Palestinian death toll of thousands.
Cabinet minister Michelle Donelan said the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary James Cleverly were continuing 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,” the Science Secretary 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.
“We’re not in full control of that border, as you know, so it is very difficult,” she told Sky News.
“But 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.”
Mr Sunak thanked Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for his efforts to get the first British nationals to leave through the Rafah border.
After they shared a call, Downing Street 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 a Border Force team in Cairo, with consular officials in Arish, near Rafah, to provide support for Britons who leave Gaza.
Hamas is a terrorist organisation and what happened in Israel is horrendous by any measure
Protesters, some waving Palestinian flags, shouted “ceasefire now” as US vice-president Kamala Harris arrived in Downing Street for a meeting with Mr Sunak on Wednesday evening.
Ms Harris, in her reply to the pair’s opening exchanges, said: “I also want to thank you for the position that you and the United Kingdom have taken in terms of what is happening in Israel with Hamas.
“As we’ve both stated, Hamas is a terrorist organisation and what happened in Israel is horrendous by any measure.”
Ms Harris said Israel has a “right to defend itself”, there must be “no conflation between the Palestinian people and Hamas”, and there “should not be any intentional targeting” of civilians.
The Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war has reached 8,805, 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.
Tel Aviv launched its operation on Gaza, including a siege on food, fuel, water and medicine, in response to Hamas’s raid that killed more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians slain in the October 7 rampage. Around 240 were also taken into Gaza by the militant group.