United States officials have reportedly negotiated a temporary escape plan for Americans seeking to flee the violence of the Israel-Gaza war, with hopes to rescue hundreds of Palestinian Americans who remain in Gaza but are seeking to leave.
Officials negotiated a deal with Egypt, Israel, and Qatar to open up the Rafah border between Gaza and Egypt for roughly five hours on Saturday to allow U.S. citizens to escape, a senior State Department official told the Washington Post. The plan would open the Rafah border, which is the sole crossing point between Gaza and Egypt, from noon to 5 p.m. local time.
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There are roughly 500 to 600 Palestinian Americans still in Gaza who have been in touch with U.S. officials seeking to leave the area, according to the outlet. The temporary escape plan comes just one week after the Hamas militant group launched an attack on Israel from Gaza, prompting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare war just hours later.
The short window of escape has been communicated to Palestinian Americans staying in Gaza, the outlet reported, which could cause a massive rush of people to southern Gaza in a bid to escape. The Rafah border has been closed off after Egyptian officials erected a cement wall barrier in the days following Israeli airstrikes, seeking to avoid a mass exodus of those seeking refuge.
However, those seeking to escape Gaza could face a perilous road as the Israeli military is expected to launch a ground offensive at some point over the weekend in a bid to dismantle Hamas, which could endanger some citizens seeking to escape.
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Israeli military officials have urged Gazan citizens to evacuate the area ahead of the expected attack, although it remains unclear when the assault is scheduled to happen. More than 1 million people located in the northern part of the Gaza Strip have been ordered to evacuate to the south after being displaced from their own homes.
The mass evacuation has prompted officials from the European Union to urge the Israeli military to hold off on its attack until citizens can safely leave the area, arguing the refugees need more time to escape.