US to coordinate plan for American, Palestinian citizens to evacuate Gaza - report

The plan is to evacuate them all through a southern corridor that leads into Egypt.

 Smoke rises after an Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, on October 10, 2023. (photo credit: ATIA MOHAMMED/FLASH90)
Smoke rises after an Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, on October 10, 2023.
(photo credit: ATIA MOHAMMED/FLASH90)

The Biden administration is reportedly working on a plan to evacuate Palestinian civilians and Americans currently in Gaza, NBC reported on Wednesday, citing senior government officials.

The plan is to evacuate them all through a southern corridor that leads into Egypt, the report said. The US is coordinating with other countries to realize this plan.

The report comes amidst Hamas killing around 1,000 Israelis since Saturday morning, and that the southern corridor will provide a way for innocent civilians in the crossfire to escape the war zone - as Israel seeks to destroy Hamas after the recent attacks.

Biden and Netanyahu

According to the report, US President Joe Biden also called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to minimize as many civilian casualties as possible. The report quoted the US president, saying "If the United States experienced what Israel is experiencing, our response would be swift, decisive, and overwhelming."

The phone call between Biden and Netanyahu was the third one between the two since Saturday, with the two expecting to talk again in the next few days.

US President Joe Biden, accompanied by Vice President Kamala Harris and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, makes remarks about the situation in Israel following Hamas' deadly attacks, October 10, 2023 (credit: REUTERS/JONATHAN ERNST)
US President Joe Biden, accompanied by Vice President Kamala Harris and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, makes remarks about the situation in Israel following Hamas' deadly attacks, October 10, 2023 (credit: REUTERS/JONATHAN ERNST)

The attacks in Israel saw several US citizens die, with a White House National Security Council spokesperson confirming so on Monday.

Reuters contributed to this report. This is a developing story.