Belgium's Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib has claimed that the government is "ready to help" Belgian citizens fleeing Gaza.
Under the terms of the Qatar-brokered deal, thousands of foreign passport holders and dozens of severely injured individuals are expected to pass through the besieged enclave's Rafah border crossing with Egypt on Wednesday.
The evacuation represents the first time that residents of Gaza have been permitted to leave since 7 October, when Hamas, the group which controls the Palestinian territory, carried out a bloody terror attack in Israel.
Le point de passage de Rafah entre #Gaza et l’Egypte est ouvert pour évacuer des blessés et des étrangers.
Nos équipes sont prêtes à aider les citoyens belges dès qu'ils seront en mesure de partir. Nous sommes en contact étroit avec nos partenaires internationaux. — Hadja Lahbib (@hadjalahbib) November 1, 2023
"The Rafah crossing point between Gaza and Egypt is open to evacuate injured people and foreigners," Lahbib wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "Our teams are ready to help Belgian citizens as soon as they are able to leave. We are in close contact with our international partners."
More than 1,500 Israelis and 8,500 Palestinians are reported to have died since 7 October.
Update: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has since confirmed that it expects up to 85 Belgian citizens to leave Gaza. La Dernière Heure also reports that one Belgian citizen, Matthias Kennes from Doctors Without Borders, has already been evacuated.
