Britons trapped in Gaza may be able to leave through the border crossing with Egypt.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said teams are ready to help British nationals able to flee the territory, which has been subjected to bombardment by Israel and shortages of food, water and fuel.
As Tel Aviv’s forces step up operations against the Hamas group, which carried out the October 7 atrocities in Israel, Mr Cleverly stressed the need for humanitarian aid to get into Gaza.
Dozens of people were seen using the Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt on Wednesday, the first time foreign passport holders have been allowed to leave the besieged territory since the start of the conflict.
Mr Cleverly said: “UK teams are ready to assist British nationals as soon as they are able to leave.
“It’s vital that lifesaving humanitarian aid can enter Gaza as quickly as possible.”
It is likely that the departure of British nationals from Gaza will take place in stages over the coming days.
Intensive diplomatic efforts involving Rishi Sunak, Mr Cleverly and Middle East minister Lord Ahmad and counterparts in Egypt, Israel and Qatar have helped ensure that British nationals will be among those able to leave Gaza.
The border is expected to be open for “controlled and time-limited periods” to allow specific groups of foreign nationals and the seriously wounded to leave Gaza, Western officials said.
The list of those allowed out has been agreed between Egypt and Israel, with the embassies from the relevant countries informed in advance.
The UK has a Border Force team in Cairo, with consular officials in Arish, near Rafah, to provide support for Britons who leave Gaza.
Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf, whose in-laws remain trapped in the Gaza Strip with “dwindling supplies”, welcomed the opening of the crossing.
But a spokesman for the First Minister said it is the Scottish Government’s understanding that Britons will not yet be allowed to leave.
Mr Yousaf’s parents-in-law Elizabeth and Maged El-Nakla, from Dundee, travelled to Gaza to visit family before the conflict erupted.
In a statement, the spokesman said: “We continue to liaise with the UK Government and urge them to work with the Egyptian authorities so that all UK nationals can urgently leave Gaza as quickly as possible.
“The First Minister’s wife, Nadia, spoke to her mother this morning. The family remains trapped in Gaza, without clean drinking water, and rapidly diminishing supplies.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said Israel’s air strikes on the Jabalia refugee camp, targeting a Hamas commander, are part of the “terrible nature” of the conflict.
Asked by Sky News whether Israel had broken international law with the strikes, the Deputy Prime Minister said: “Hamas is a terrorist organisation that has murdered in cold blood over 1,000 innocent Israeli men, women and children, and now seeks to hide amongst the civilian population. This is a very difficult conflict.
“We continue to urge the Israeli government to abide by international law. I believe that the Israeli government is continuing to do so against an enemy that hides among civilians.”
Labour called for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to set up an appeal for Gaza, matched by taxpayer funding.
Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy and shadow cabinet development minister Lisa Nandy were in Cairo for talks about the crisis.
Mr Lammy said: “There is an urgent need to alleviate humanitarian suffering in Gaza and a DEC appeal with government backing would help galvanise the public’s efforts to help those in need.
“We must also begin to plan for the large-scale reconstruction that will be required for the people of Gaza to live in peace and dignity. In the long term, there can only be a political solution based on a two-state solution.”
