Britons in Gaza must vacate Egypt within three days

Foreign nationals, including British citizens, who have fled Gaza have only 72 hours before they are required to leave Egypt, according to the British government. Hundreds of foreign nationals were evacuated from Gaza and entered Egypt through the Rafah Crossing on Friday. However, the border was subsequently closed for the entire weekend. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has stated that it is keeping in touch with British nationals in the area to provide them with the latest information. The statement further mentioned that the FCDO is using diplomatic channels to advocate for the reopening of the crossing in coordination with international partners. Nasser Alshanti, an academic from Manchester, expressed concern that his pregnant daughter, Yosra, and her husband, who is not a British citizen, are "stuck" in Egypt and might not be able to depart before the deadline ends. Yosra, who grew up in the UK but relocated to Gaza for university, met and married Ibrahim there. The couple had been living in central Gaza until they were forced to flee due to bombings. They were evacuated to Egypt and are currently in Cairo. However, they now need to obtain a Family Visa for Ibrahim before they can travel to the UK. The limited 72-hour deadline in Egypt is causing them anxiety about overstaying, as it would incur fines. Dr. Alshanti had hoped for an emergency visa to expedite their evacuation from Cairo before the deadline. Normally, a British Family Visa application submitted outside the UK takes up to six months to process. The FCDO and the Home Office are collaborating to expedite the approval process for non-British family members of British evacuees from Gaza. The duration of this sped-up process is currently unknown. Dr. Alshanti noted the toll that sheltering in Gaza and the uncertainty in Egypt have taken on his daughter. He mentioned her significant weight loss and deteriorated appearance, likely due to the difficult conditions she faced while being pregnant and sheltering without adequate resources.