Jordan begins evacuating its citizens from Gaza

By Laith Al-Jundi

AMMAN, Jordan (AA) - Jordan on Wednesday said that it has started evacuating its citizens from Gaza through the Rafah crossing in coordination with Egypt.

"Through the Operations Centre and the Kingdom's Embassy in Egypt, they are working around the clock to ensure the safe transfer of Jordanian citizens," a ministry statement said.

It said the evacuation process is expected to take several days.

“A team from the Jordanian Embassy in Cairo was sent to the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing to secure buses for Jordanians leaving Gaza to be transported to the Kingdom as quickly as possible,” the statement said.

The Jordanian Foreign Ministry did not specify the number of Jordanian citizens present in Gaza.

Dozens of foreigners and Palestinians with dual citizenship have gathered at the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing since early morning to leave the Gaza Strip.

“Some 110 foreign passport holders left the strip,” Wael Abu Mohsen, the media director of the Rafah border crossing, told Anadolu.

The Israeli army has widened its air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip, which has been under relentless airstrikes since the surprise offensive by Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7.

More than 10,300 people have been killed in the conflict, including at least 8,796 Palestinians and more than 1,538 Israelis.

* Writing by Ziad Aslan in Ankara