The UK Government is “hopeful” that the Rafah crossing will reopen on Sunday to allow more British nationals to leave Gaza, the Deputy Prime Minister said.
Oliver Dowden said Britain was working to ensure civilians could exit the besieged territory “as rapidly as possible”, with Foreign Office officials looking to “facilitate them in getting to the border and crossing” over to Egypt.
He told the BBC: “We stand ready to support British nationals.”
The Rafah crossing is the only route out of Gaza for foreign nationals and the sole entry point for incoming aid.
Britons were among those documented on an approved list to pass through the key border post on Saturday but many reported being turned away in an apparent row between Israel and the Palestinians over evacuating injured patients.
We are engaging very closely and we are hopeful that the crossing will reopen again today, enabling further UK nationals to leave the situation
The total number the UK is trying to secure passage for is thought to be in the low hundreds, with as many as 200 British nationals and their dependents in Gaza registered with the authorities to leave.
Mr Dowden told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: “It is the case that over 100 UK nationals (have been) able to cross out of Gaza into Egypt through the Rafah crossing.
“It is very disappointing that the crossing was closed yesterday.
“We are engaging very closely and we are hopeful that the crossing will reopen again today, enabling further UK nationals to leave the situation.”
The senior Conservative said it is a “very difficult situation in Gaza”, with “Hamas terrorists hiding among the civilian population and a conflict going on in a very small area”.
He added: “The first thing we are doing is trying to make sure we get the Rafah crossing open again and I’m hopeful we will make progress on that today.
“Secondly, we are seeking to have these temporary pauses to allow humanitarian aid in and to get our people out.”
