Delays in the evacuation of foreign nationals and critically wounded civilians from Gaza have been described as “agonising” by British medical personnel on the ground, amid growing diplomatic pressure on Israel and Egypt to open a secure humanitarian corridor. The Foreign Office confirmed that around 200 British nationals remain trapped in the enclave, with many sheltering near the Rafah crossing, the sole exit point not controlled by Israel.
The standoff has intensified since the closure of the Kerem Shalom crossing on 7 October. Egypt, which maintains a longstanding blockade of Gaza, has refused to allow passage without guarantees that aid deliveries will not be disrupted and that no Hamas fighters will slip through. Israeli airstrikes have repeatedly hit areas close to the Rafah terminal, raising fears for civilian safety.
Dr. Emma Hartley, a consultant anaesthetist with the UK-based charity Medical Aid for Palestinians, described the situation as “untenable”. Speaking from a field hospital in Khan Younis, she said: “We are running out of supplies and running out of time. Every hour of delay costs lives. The wounded are dying from infections that could be treated, and children with chronic conditions are deteriorating without access to specialist care.”
The British government has stepped up its call for a “safe and unhindered humanitarian corridor”, with the Foreign Secretary convening a virtual meeting of G7 counterparts to press the issue. Downing Street emphasised that the UK is working “around the clock” with regional partners, but acknowledged that progress has been slow.
Critics accuse the government of failing to leverage its diplomatic weight. Lord Jonathan Evans, a former head of MI5, wrote in a parliamentary briefing that the UK’s response has been “too cautious, too bureaucratic”. He argued that Britain should use its seat on the UN Security Council to demand a resolution mandating safe passage for civilians.
At the Rafah border, a small number of foreign passport holders were permitted to exit on Tuesday, but the process was chaotic and halted after a few hours. Witnesses described scenes of desperation as families pressed against the gate, only to be turned back. One British teacher, Maria Hussain, said she had watched her neighbour’s child die from shrapnel wounds while waiting for clearance. “We are not numbers. We are people,” she said.
The United Nations has warned that Gaza’s health system is on the verge of collapse. The World Health Organization reported that only 14 of the strip’s 35 hospitals are still functioning, and all are severely overstretched. The Rafah corridor remains the only viable route for evacuations, but its use requires coordination between Israel, Egypt, and Hamas, a task made more complex by the absence of a ceasefire.
Analysts suggest that the UK’s leverage is limited. “Britain is no longer a dominant player in the Middle East,” said Dr. James Cleverly, a Middle East scholar at Chatham House. “Its influence rests on its voice in Washington and its role in the UN, but on the ground, it is Israel and Egypt who call the shots.”
The humanitarian cost of the delays is mounting. The Hamas-run health ministry reports over 11,000 casualties, though the figures cannot be independently verified. Among the dead are at least 4,500 children, according to UNICEF. The British government has pledged an additional £10 million in aid, but medical charities say that money is meaningless without access.
As the crisis deepens, the question of accountability looms. Legal experts are already examining whether the refusal to allow civilians to flee constitutes a violation of international law. But for now, the focus remains on the immediate need: a corridor that can save lives.
