Foreigners in Gaza plead with Egypt to show ‘compassion’ and allow them to cross

For a third straight day, dual Palestinian nationals’ hopes to leave the Gaza Strip are dashed as the border with Egypt remains closed.

Jameel Abdullah, a Swedish passport holder, says he had been told by his embassy to return to the border, but after waiting many hours he turned back toward Gaza where Israeli airstrikes continue to pound the densely populated Strip.

Israel has declared its intention to destroy Hamas, which rules Gaza, after the terror group burst through the border fence and slaughtered over 1,300 people, mostly civilians, in southern Israel last week.

“We come to the border crossing hoping that it will open, but so far there is no information,” he says. “We plead with the Egyptian people to look at us with compassion because frankly we are in a very dangerous place. There is shelling all around us, and even if I wanted to return home [to Gaza], I would be risking my life.”

Times of Israel staff contributed.