Israel allowing all foreigners out of Gaza

Israel is allowing all foreign nationals to leave Hamas-controlled Gaza and enter Israel, an Israeli military spokesman said today.

Israel has barred Palestinians trying to flee Gaza from entering Israel, except for patients needing urgent medical treatment in Israeli hospitals.

But Israeli military spokesman Shlomo Dror said any foreign national wishing to leave Gaza was allowed to do so in co-ordination with their embassy.

More than 100 foreigners have left Gaza since Hamas seized full control there last week, Dror said.

He did not specify their nationalities.

Three buses carrying foreigners left the Erez crossing from Gaza into Israel today.

On Monday, the Russian government said it planned to evacuate 120 Russian nationals from Gaza, according to a report from the Interfax news agency.

The report said the Russians were mostly women married to Palestinian men.