By Mehmet Sah Yilmaz
Türkiye expects around 100 more people to evacuate through the Rafah Border Crossing to Egypt amid Israeli attacks on Tuesday, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.
The ministry personnel arrived at the Rafah Border Crossing on Tuesday morning, said the sources, adding that if conditions permit, the ministry aims to evacuate approximately 100 more people.
Turkish and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) citizens, who were evacuated from Gaza on Monday along with their family members, are expected to arrive in Istanbul later on Tuesday via a scheduled Turkish Airlines flight, according to the sources.
Since Israel started bombing Gaza after a surprise Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian group Hamas, at least 13,000 Palestinians have been killed, including over 9,000 women and children, and more than 30,000 others have been injured, according to the latest figures by Palestinian authorities.
Thousands of buildings, including hospitals, mosques, and churches, have also been damaged or destroyed in Israel’s relentless air and ground attacks on the besieged enclave.
An Israeli blockade has also cut Gaza off from fuel, electricity, and water supplies and reduced aid deliveries to a small trickle.
The Israeli death toll is around 1,200, according to official figures.