Hamas Delays Gaza Evacuations, Including Foreign Nationals, Amidst Smuggling Attempts

Hamas' attempts to smuggle wounded terrorists out of Gaza have caused delays in evacuating foreign nationals, including Americans, from the war-torn region. Hamas initially refused to allow anyone to leave, but later agreed to let foreign nationals depart in exchange for wounded Palestinians being allowed to leave as well. However, it was discovered that a third of the wounded Palestinians on the list provided by Hamas were members of the terrorist group. Qatar and Egypt played crucial roles in negotiating with Hamas. So far, 74 US citizens have been able to leave Gaza, with more expected to follow. The urgency to evacuate increased as Israel intensified its military operations in Gaza, resulting in casualties.