The northern entry point into Israel, known as the Eretz gate, has remained sealed by the Israeli army as operations continue in the area. Units of the Israel Defense Forces have intensified airstrikes in northern Gaza and have positioned tanks and infantry along the frontier in what officials describe as a final phase of a planned operation. South of Gaza, the Rafah crossing to Egypt was shut earlier this week after Israeli air power targeted the surrounding area.
During a briefing, Acting Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares stressed the importance of coordinating with European colleagues and international bodies to arrange any possible evacuations rapidly, according to diplomatic sources cited by this publication.
Sources indicate that the current situation makes exit through the affected zones extremely difficult, with a call for broad, coordinated civic action to help. A number of Palestinians are reported to hold dual citizenship. There is no verified information about casualties from the latest bombardments at this time. Earlier this week, the secretary of state confirmed the death of Maya Villalobos, a Spanish-Israeli teenager, amid the conflict with Hamas.
Palestinian officials have reported that at least 1,500 people have died in Gaza as a consequence of Israeli strikes, including a significant share of children. This week marks seven days since Hamas and Islamic Jihad factions launched a surprise assault on Israel’s northern border area, an attack that authorities have updated to involve more than 1,300 fatalities across men, women, and children.
Defense Measures and Foreign Affairs Coordination
The State Department has not released public figures on how many of the roughly 9,000 Spaniards registered in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories are in Gaza. In a briefing on Friday, Defense Minister Margarita Robles stated that about 120 Spaniards were inside the Strip. Robles announced the armed forces would stay ready to assist foreign nationals and coordinate future evacuations from Israel, Gaza, and neighboring states. Earlier in the week, two aircraft were chartered to Tel Aviv, and military evacuation flights transported 334 Spaniards along with 95 other nationals connected to Spain. Robles emphasized that, should evacuations be required across Israel, Gaza, or elsewhere, the armed forces stand prepared under directives from the deputy foreign minister.
Openings for Rafah: Negotiations and Humanitarian Corridors
U.S. government sources have indicated ongoing discussions about opening the border between Gaza and Egypt to enable departures for U.S. citizens and other nationals. These conversations, which have included consultations with Israel, aim to establish a route for those seeking to leave Gaza, with a consensus on the Rafah crossing as a critical point for movement.
Three humanitarian corridors are under consideration. The first would allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, with Egypt agreeing to permit entry of food, water, and medicine. Egyptian authorities have already arranged flights to Al Arish in Sinai in support of relief operations near Rafah. The Palestinian Authority has urged the United States to press for immediate establishment of safe corridors into Gaza, meeting with key U.S. officials in Jordan on the matter.
The second corridor would serve as a humanitarian path for Gazans escaping bombardment; however, Cairo has expressed concerns about hosting large refugee movements within Egyptian territory. Gaza’s population exceeds 2.2 million, and Egyptian leadership stresses that resolving the conflict within the region is essential for any sustainable political outcome. President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has reiterated that maintaining Palestinian residents on Palestinian soil is a foundational element of any future Palestinian state.
European leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, met with Israeli officials to express solidarity with victims of the violence and to discuss the opening of humanitarian channels into Gaza, according to statements from the institutions involved. A third corridor would enable foreigners in Gaza to depart if conditions allow for safe exit amid ongoing threats.
Hamas leaders have urged Palestinians to remain in place despite Israeli demands to relocate southward, and current movement within the region remains restricted as security measures tighten. Israel has announced the mobilization of hundreds of thousands of reservists and has deployed large-scale military formations along the Gaza border, with armored units prepared to respond to further Hamas actions.