Evacuation of Turkish citizens from Gaza to Egypt commences

ANKARA

Türkiye has started evacuating its citizens from Gaza to Egypt, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli said on Saturday.

Right after the conflict in Gaza broke out, Türkiye brought 30 of its citizens and their relatives back to the country. However, after the Rafah border had closed, the evacuation operation had been halted.

The initiative to bring back Turkish, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus citizens and their relatives had been ongoing for a while, spokesman Keceli said.

“Today (Nov. 18), 44 people reached Egypt after crossing Rafah border. It is expected that the number of evacuated people will increase during the day,” Keceli said.

“The evacuees are met with Turkish diplomats at the border, will be brought to Cairo and then to Türkiye via planes,” the spokesman said.

Türkiye also has been using diplomatic measures to bring a group of Palestinians to give them medical care via its foreign ministry and related institutions.