Twenty-three Irish citizens leave Gaza, foreign minister says

Twenty-three Irish citizens left Gaza on Wednesday through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt, the first Irish group to do so since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war, local media quoted foreign minister Micheal Martin as saying.

The Irish government has previously said around 40 Irish citizens were stuck in Gaza and Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said earlier that he expected additional Irish citizens to be added a list of those allowed to leave in the coming days.

"The good news today is that 23 Irish citizens have come through - or are in the process - at Rafah," the Irish Times quoted Martin as telling reporters in Cairo on Wednesday.