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The rows of ambulances in Gaza started moving towards the border crossing into Egypt from Wednesday morning.

Inside were some of the most critically wounded from the recent Israeli onslaught on the territory and this was the first chance for anyone to escape the hell of what is happening in the Palestinian enclave.

In the emergency convoy, there were 76 people – among them women, the elderly and children.

The breakthrough comes after frantic discussions mediated by Qatar and the United States – and agreed by Egypt, Israel and Hamas.

We managed to get through to one doctor in Khan Younis in the south of Gaza, who’d had the difficult job of selecting 18 of his most seriously ill patients to make the crossing.

Israel airstrike on refugee camp ‘may be war crime’ – live updates

Sky's Alex Crawford spoke on the phone to Dr Youssuf Al Akkad, from the Gaza European Hospital
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Alex Crawford spoke on the phone to Dr Youssuf Al Akkad, from the Gaza European Hospital

Dr Youssuf Al Akkad, from the Gaza European Hospital, told us that his group was made up of 60% men and 40% women and included some children.

Most of the patients were suffering from brain injuries, spinal cord wounds and eye complications, and need specialist treatment that his hospital cannot provide.

“We are in a desperate state,” he said. “This is really a war on children, with most of the dead and injured made up mostly of women and children.”

He told us that his own hospital was in danger of running out of fuel supplies in a matter of days and he had at least a further 30 people who needed to be immediately taken across the border for medical help.

“We hope this will happen in the coming days,” he said.

Palestinian ambulances with people wounded in the Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip arrive at the border crossing with Egypt 
Pic:AP
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Palestinian ambulances carrying injured people arrive at the border crossing with Egypt. Pic: AP

Egyptian ambulances convoy which will carry critically injured people waits to go through the Rafah crossing from the Egyptian side, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Rafah, Egypt November 1, 2023. REUTERS/Stringer
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A convoy of Egyptian ambulances to take people out of Gaza at the Rafah crossing

The evacuation operation is being carried out under heightened security. We saw rows of tanks and military hardware on the Egyptian side on the route to the Rafah crossing when we were in the area.

The casualties are being taken to nearby hospitals in the north Sinai area, including Al Arish Hospital, and Egyptian state TV showed pictures of some of the wounded, including a young boy, being stretchered inside by medics.

The Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing was besieged by people, mostly foreign nationals, trying to escape the Israeli bombardment.

Read more:
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What is the Rafah border crossing and who controls it?
How far has Israel got into Gaza?

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Ambulances carry injured Gazans into Egypt

Strikes on refugee camp continue

The evacuations were carried out amid continued Israeli airstrikes – including on the Jabalia refugee camp, the largest in Gaza – for the second day in a row.

Sky News verified the geolocation of pictures put out by Hamas which indicated the second day’s strike was inside the camp but in a different location to Tuesday’s attack.

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Jabalia refugee camp strike analysis

The images showed bloodied women and children as well as many men clambering over rubble, being pulled out of debris and carried into hospitals.

Israel says the refugee camp is a stronghold of Hamas fighters and commanders and announced it had lost 16 of its soldiers in combat over the past few days since its ground offensive into Gaza began.

Social media showed multiple pictures of Knesset members crying as they emerged from a meeting.

But amid the bombardment, a Hamas official said the hostages being held by them were under the same threat of death and injury that Palestinians are facing, and claimed an unspecified number of captives they were holding had already died in Israeli attacks.

Foreign nationals also starting to get out

At the Gaza-Egypt border, about 500 dual nationals have been put on a list approved by the five different governments involved for evacuation, as well as the wounded we saw earlier.

About 44 different nationalities – including some Britons – have been trapped inside Gaza since the 7 October atrocities mounted inside Israel by Hamas which saw more than 1,400 people killed and about 240 taken hostage.

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The UK Foreign Office confirmed British nationals were able to cross into Egypt but they declined to say how many.

The announcement that the crossing would be opened prompted crowds to surge towards the border point – now the only exit route possible since Israel imposed a siege on the territory, cutting off electricity and water and limiting aid trucks into the area.

For the second time in more than three weeks of bombardment, Palestinians also reported internet and mobile phone networks were interrupted as the border was opening.

Being desperate to get out is understandable.

But those who were not on the list were not allowed over.

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24 hours at the Rafah border crossing

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Dr Emilee Rauschenberger on trying to leave Gaza

They included a mother from Manchester called Emilee Rauschenberger who has been stranded inside Gaza with her five children after travelling there to visit relatives.

She said her children were aged between 14 and four years old.

“We had no electricity… the food we had to go and find each day, water stopped so there’s no sanitary water,” she told the Sky News crew in Gaza. “We had to go find the drinking water… it’s very difficult.”

The Egyptian authorities say the crossing will be opened for limited periods to allow those on the approved list to move into Egypt.

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Israel says it will screen October 7 attacks to Greta Thunberg and other activists after Gaza-bound aid boat ‘diverted’

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Israel says it will screen October 7 attacks to Greta Thunberg and other activists after Gaza-bound aid boat 'diverted'

The Israeli military will show Greta Thunberg and other activists footage of the 7 October attacks after a Gaza-bound aid boat was diverted to Israel, the country’s foreign minister has said.

Early on Monday, the Israeli foreign ministry said that the British-flagged yacht Madleen – operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) – “is safely making its way to the shores of Israel”.

All passengers were safe and unharmed, the ministry added, sharing footage of the activists being handed sandwiches and water.

In a statement via his spokesperson, defence minister Israel Katz said that he has instructed the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) to screen footage of the 7 October attacks for those aboard when they arrive at Ashdod Port.

Greta Thunberg was "safe and in good spirits" while en route to Israel, the foreign ministry said. Pic: Israel Foreign Ministry
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Greta Thunberg was ‘safe and in good spirits’ while en route to Israel, the foreign ministry said. Pic: Israel Foreign Ministry

“Antisemitic Greta and her Hamas-supporting friends should see exactly what the Hamas terrorist organisation – which they came to support and act on behalf of – truly is,” he said.

“They should see the atrocities committed against women, the elderly, and children, and understand whom Israel is fighting to defend itself.”

He then added, “I commend the IDF for its swift and safe takeover” of the vessel, and said the Israeli military “will continue its just and moral fight against the Hamas murderers until their defeat, the release of all hostages, and the full restoration of Israel’s security”.

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Great Thunberg and other activists are given water and sandwiches. Pic: Israel Foreign Ministry
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Ms Thunberg and other activists after their boat was diverted to Israel. Pic: Israel Foreign Ministry

Israel’s foreign ministry said earlier that those aboard the Madleen “are expected to return to their home countries,” and that the humanitarian aid aboard the ship would be transferred to Gaza through established channels.

Ms Thunberg was “safe and in good spirits” while en route to Israel, it added, calling the vessel “the ‘selfie yacht’ of the ‘celebrities'”.

The FFC claimed the passengers on the yacht had been “kidnapped by Israeli forces” and released pre-recorded messages from them after previously saying that the “Israeli army had boarded” the vessel.

Climate campaigner Ms Thunberg, 22, was one of a dozen activists aboard the Madleen, which set sail from Sicily on 1 May on a mission aiming to break Israel’s sea blockade.

Greta Thunberg in a pre-recorded video, released after the Madleen was diverted to Israel. Pic: FFC
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Ms Thunberg pictured in a pre-recorded video, released after the Madleen was diverted to Israel. Pic: FFC

Greta Thunberg aboard the vessel on 2 June. Pic: Freedom Flotilla Coalition/Reuters
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The climate campaigner aboard the Madleen on 2 June. Pic: Freedom Flotilla Coalition/Reuters

Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament, who is of Palestinian descent, was also on the boat.

She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israel’s policies towards Palestinians.

Ms Hassan wrote on X as the FFC’s yacht was allegedly surrounded by other vessels: “The crew of the Freedom Flotilla was arrested by the Israeli army in international waters around 2am.”

The diversion of the Madleen came after Mr Katz said that he had instructed the IDF to prevent the vessel from reaching the shore and to “take whatever measures necessary”.

Greta Thunberg on board the Madleen heading for Gaza
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The Madleen was heading for Gaza

Addressing Ms Thunberg and the other activists on Sunday, he said: “You should turn back – because you will not reach Gaza.”

Israel started allowing some basic aid into Gaza last month after a three-month total blockade aimed at pressuring Hamas and preventing the group from importing arms.

But humanitarian workers have warned of famine unless there is an end to the blockade and the 20-month war, which began after a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, that killed more than 1,200 people.

According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of Israel’s military campaign.

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Why is Greta sailing to Gaza?

An attempt last month by Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza by sea failed after another of the group’s vessels was attacked by two drones while sailing in international waters off Malta.

The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the front section of the ship.

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Francesca Albanese, United Nations’ special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, also urged other boats to challenge the Gaza blockade.

She said on social media: “Madleen’s journey may have ended, but the mission isn’t over.

“Every Mediterranean port must send boats with aid & solidarity to Gaza.”

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Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay in ‘critical condition’ after attempted assassination – as 15-year-old suspect arrested

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Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay in 'critical condition' after attempted assassination - as 15-year-old suspect arrested

A 15 year-old-boy has been arrested after a Colombian senator running to be the country’s next president was shot and “critically” injured at a campaign rally in Bogota, authorities have said.

Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay, 39, was targeted during the campaign event in a park in the Fontibon area of the Colombian capital, according to the Attorney General’s office.

He suffered two gunshot wounds when armed assailants shot him from behind and appeared to be bleeding from his head as he was helped by aides and people in the crowd, in a video posted on social media.

According to a medical report at the Santa Fe Foundation hospital, he was admitted there in a “critical condition” and is still undergoing a “neurosurgical and peripheral vascular procedure”.

Opposition Senator Miguel Uribe, right, discusses a referendum proposal on labor reform, in Bogota, Colombia, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. Pic: AP
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Opposition senator Miguel Uribe Turbay on 13 May. Pic: AP

His wife Maria Claudia Tarazone wrote on X that he is “fighting for his life” and urged Colombians to pray for him.

She later said he survived an initial operation for the injuries.

Ms Tarazone said: “Miguel came out of surgery, he made it. Every hour is a critical hour. He fought his first battle, and it went well. This will take time.”

The hospital said Mr Uribe Turbay had procedures on his head and his left thigh, and remained in intensive care as doctors try to stabilise his condition.

Two other people were injured in the attack but the nature of their injuries has not been made public.

A suspect, a 15-year-old boy, was arrested at the scene with a firearm and is being treated for a leg injury, police chief General Carlos Triana said.

The government is offering a $730,000 (£540,000) reward for information and President Gustavo Petro said the investigation will focus on who ordered the attack.

“For now there is nothing more than hypothesis,” he said, adding that failures in security protocols would also be looked into.

People gather outside the hospital where Mr Uribe Turbay is 'sighting for his life. Pic: Reuters
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People gather outside the hospital where Mr Uribe Turbay is ‘fighting for his life’. Pic: Reuters

Mr Uribe Turbay, who announced his presidential bid for the right-wing Democratic Center Party in March, was accompanied by a team of 21 people at the time of the shooting, his office said, including councilman Andres Barrios.

He was hoping to run in the presidential elections taking place on 31 May next year – and succeed Mr Petro, the country’s first leftist leader.

His mother, who was a journalist, was kidnapped and killed in 1991 during one of the most violent periods in Colombia’s history.

Investigators inspect the scene where Colombian senator and presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot during a campaign rally
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Forensic investigators at the scene of Mr Uribe Turbay’s shooting in Bogota. Pic: AP

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His party described it as an “unacceptable act of violence”, while US secretary of state Marco Rubio condemned it in the “strongest possible terms”.

Writing on X, Mr Rubio also urged Colombia’s current president to “dial back the inflammatory rhetoric and protect Colombian officials”.

Police outside the Medicentro hospital where Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay is being treated after being shot
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Police outside the hospital where Mr Uribe Turbay is being treated. Pic: AP

Former Colombian president Alvaro Uribe, who is not related to Mr Uribe Turbay, said the gunman had “attacked the hope of the country, a great husband, son, brother, and a great colleague”.

He cancelled a planned trip to France due to the “seriousness of the events”, his office said in a statement.

Messages of support poured in from elsewhere in Latin America, with Chilean President Gabriel Boric saying: “There is no room or justification for violence in a democracy.”

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa added: “We condemn all forms of violence and intolerance.”

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Israel’s defence minister vows to stop aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg from reaching Gaza

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Israel's defence minister vows to stop aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg from reaching Gaza

Israel’s defence minister has threatened to “take whatever measures necessary” to stop an aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg from reaching Gaza.

The climate campaigner, 22, is one of a dozen activists aboard the Madleen, which set sail from Sicily last Sunday on a mission aiming to break Israel‘s sea blockade.

The activists have said they plan to reach Gaza‘s territorial waters as early as Sunday to deliver humanitarian aid.

But in a post on X, Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz said he has instructed the IDF to prevent the vessel reaching shore and to “take whatever measures necessary”.

Addressing Thunberg and the other activists, he said: “You should turn back – because you will not reach Gaza.”

He wrote: “I have instructed the IDF to act so that the “Madeleine” hate flotilla does not reach the shores of Gaza – and to take any means necessary to that end.

“To the anti-Semitic Greta and her fellow Hamas propaganda spokespeople, I say clearly: You should turn back – because you will not reach Gaza.

“Israel will act against any attempt to break the blockade or assist terrorist organizations – at sea, in the air and on land.”

Latest known position of the vessel
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Latest known position of the vessel

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Why is Greta sailing to Gaza?

Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament, who is of Palestinian descent, is also on the boat, which is operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.

She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israel’s policies towards Palestinians.

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Israel started allowing some basic aid into Gaza last month after a three-month total blockade aimed at pressuring Hamas and preventing the group from importing arms.

But humanitarian workers have warned of famine unless there is an end to the blockade and the 20-month war, which was ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 Oct 2023.

An attempt last month by Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza by sea failed after another of the group’s vessels was attacked by two drones while sailing in international waters off Malta.

The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the front section of the ship.

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