Colombo (LNW): Seventeen Sri Lankans are among 596 foreign and dual nationals authorised to depart Gaza through the Rafah border crossing, located between Palestine and Egypt.
15 of these individuals are expected to cross into Egypt by noon today (02), according to the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE).
This permission to leave Gaza was granted to the Sri Lankans who had been stranded in the region due to the armed conflict between Israel and Palestine.
A list published by CNN reveals those released by the Gaza Borders and Crossings Authority, comprising 596 foreign and dual nationals from 15 different countries who are allowed to leave Gaza.
The crossing was opened on Wednesday (01), permitting over 500 people to exit the region. The updated list was posted by the Ministry shortly before 2 a.m. local time, specifying that individuals listed should arrive at the crossing by 7 a.m.
The 596 foreign and dual nationals are from various countries, including Sri Lanka (17), Azerbaijan (8), Belgium (50), Bahrain (6), Chad (2), Croatia (23), Greece (24), Hungary (20), Italy/United Nations (4), North Macedonia (4), Mexico (2), Netherlands (20), South Korea (5), Switzerland (11), and the United States (400).
The conflict has resulted in a significant loss of life, with over 8,805 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 7, and more than 1,400 casualties in Israel.
