British citizens remained stranded in Gaza on Thursday morning despite assurances from ministers on their commitment to ensuring they can leave safely.

No UK nationals appeared to feature on a list of hundreds of foreign citizens who will be permitted to cross from Gaza into Egypt on Thursday.

As few as two Britons in total – both aid workers – are understood to have left the enclave via the Rafah crossing, which has now been open for more than 24 hours.

Meanwhile Israeli forces continued to push deeper into Gaza, where the Hamas-run health ministry updated its death toll to 9,000 Palestinians.

On Thursday morning Michelle Donelan, the Cabinet minister, insisted the Government’s “focus” was “getting [British nationals] out” amid continued Israeli bombardment of the territory.

“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 Secretary of State for Science told GB News.

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.

Her words echoed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s comments on Wednesday – when he told ITV’s Peston: “What’s important to me is being able to bring our British nationals, and indeed the hostages, out of Gaza.”

The evacuation of British nationals is expected to take place in stages and over several days. Israeli and Egyptian authorities will determine who is allowed to cross at which time.

Civil servants have provided a full list of names of British nationals and dependents in Gaza to both sets of authorities.

But on Thursday many trapped Britons and their families remained in the dark with no further information on when they would be permitted to leave.

Zaynab Wandawi, 29, a British teacher, went to Gaza with her husband and eight of her in-laws for a wedding two days before Hamas’s attack on Israel sparked the current war.

On Thursday, her mother Lalah Ali Faten accused ministers of failing to demonstrate their commitment to assisting British citizens.

Speaking to the Telegraph, Ms Faten said: ‘‘Yesterday we were hopeful that today would be the day that they would be able to leave.

“I didn’t sleep until about 2.30 then I woke up again at 5.30 and I saw that the list was already live,” she added.

“When I saw they weren’t on the list again I was desperately upset – I really do feel that the Foreign Office could have done more.”

The newly released list compiled by the Palestinian General Authority for Crossing and Borders includes the names of almost 600 foreign nationals cleared to enter Egypt.

Most of the people on the list, exactly 400, are US nationals.

‘Terrified and disenchanted’

However, there are hopes more British citizens could make it out and into Egypt on Thursday, after around 200 registered in Gaza with the Foreign Office.

Responding to the Prime Minister’s comments on Wednesday, Ms Faten said: “If getting British citizens home really was a priority for Rishi then the results would have been forthcoming.”

As of Thursday morning, Ms Faten had been unable to speak to her daughter and extended family.

Stella Creasy is one of several MPs assisting constituents with stranded relatives.

The Labour MP told the Telegraph: “The Government needs to be clearer with people who are waiting to leave about when they will be able to do so, otherwise they are just prompting people to make a perilous journey only to be turned away again.”

“These people are terrified and increasingly disenchanted,” she said.

The Telegraph has approached the Foreign Office for comment.