Israel allowing all foreigners out of Gaza, official saysThe Associated Press
Published: June 20, 2007
EREZ CROSSING, Israel: Israel is allowing all foreign nationals
in Hamas-controlled Gaza to enter Israel, an Israeli military
spokesman said Wednesday.
At midday Wednesday, buses brought some 90 Ukrainians from
Gaza into Israel, and more foreigners were expected to enter
later in the day, military spokesman Shadi Yassin said.
Israel has barred Palestinians trying to flee Gaza from entering
Israel, except for patients needing urgent medical treatment in
Israeli hospitals. But Israeli military spokesman Shlomo Dror
said any foreign national wishing to leave Gaza was allowed to
do so in coordination with respective embassies.
Overall, more than 100 foreigners have left Gaza since the Islamic
fighters of Hamas seized control there last week, Dror said. He did
not specify their nationalities.
On Monday, the Russian government said it planned to evacuate
120 Russian nationals from Gaza, according to a report from the
Interfax news agency. The report said most of the Russians were
women married to Palestinian men.