Dozens of Gazans are trying to cross the border to Egypt from Rafah, according to an Egyptian report on Monday.
The report comes as an anticipated Rafah operation has seemingly moved forward.
Israel has reportedly begun launching airstrikes and evacuated some 100,000 of the over one million Palestinians sheltering in Rafah.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant clarified that the invasion was being rolled out incrementally and in multiple stages so that if Hamas at some point agreed to a reasonable hostage exchange deal that was accepted by Israel, it could be halted.
Maariv later reported residents from Rafah tried crossing to Egyptian territory from the western side of the border between Rafah and the Sinai Peninsula.
According to the report, Gazans attempting to cross the border were stopped by Egyptian military forces.
Fleeing the Gaza conflict
Last week, the Palestinian Embassy in Egypt announced it was seeking temporary residency permits for tens of thousands of Palestinians who fled from Gaza during the war between Israel and Hamas, which it says would ease conditions for them until the conflict is over.
Diab al-Louh, the Palestinian ambassador in Cairo, said as many as 100,000 Gazans had crossed into Egypt, where they lack the papers to enroll their children in schools, open businesses or bank accounts, travel, or access health insurance – though some have found ways to make a living.
Many of the Palestinians who have fled to Egypt paid agencies between $6,000-$12,000 to secure their passage, according to The Media Line.
Many Gaza Strip residents are turning to GoFundMe to raise the necessary funds to escape and ensure the safety of their families. Relatives abroad are also using GoFundMe to secure donations aiding their departure from Gaza to Europe or nearby Arab nations.
TZVI JOFFRE, YONAH JEREMY BOB, GIORGIA VALENTE/THE MEDIA LINE and Reuters contributed to this report.
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