Gaza: wounded people, foreigners leave for Egypt as Rafah crossing opens

Hundreds of foreign passport holders and wounded trapped in Gaza started leaving the war-torn territory on Wednesday as the Rafah crossing to Egypt opened to allow people to through the border point.

Convoys of desperately needed aid have been passing between Egypt and Gaza through the Rafah crossing.

Large crowds gathered at the crossing with reports indicating 545 foreigners and dual nationals along with about 90 sick and wounded were expected to leave

After being allowed into the terminal area, huge queues formed around crossing booths for checks on passports and other documents.

Ambulances waited on the Egyptian side to take away the wounded and sick.

The zone around the terminal has been hit during Israeli air raids on Gaza after the Hamas attacks which Israeli authorities say left 1,400 dead, mostly civilians. Another 240 people were taken hostage.

Some of those being taken out for treatment in Egyptian hospitals are among more than 15,000 wounded in retaliatory Israeli strikes, which the Hamas-run health ministry says have killed more than 8,500 people, two-thirds of them women and children.