CAIRO, November 5. /TASS/. Egypt has suspended thee evacuation of foreign citizens from the Gaza Strip via the Rafah border crossing after Israel refused to let wounded Palestinians leave the enclave, the Al-Qahera al-Ihbariya television channel reported on Sunday, citing its sources.

According to the sources, this decision was made after Israel shelled ambulance cars and evacuation operations were suspended on November 4. The enclave’s health ministry told the television channel that they have been unable "to send the wounded to Egyptian hospitals for the third day in a row due to bombardments." According to the ministry, Israel is hampering the transportation of patients from northern areas to the enclave’s south to be further evacuated to Egypt via Rafah.

Nevertheless, the crossing is open for humanitarian cargoes coming to the Gaza Strip. According to the Al Hadath television channel, 75 trucks with humanitarian aid crossed in to the enclave on Sunday alone.

On Saturday, Hamas said that it had agreed on evacuation of the wounded in exchange for the evacuation of foreigners from the Gaza Strip, but Israel has violated the deal.

Tensions flared up in the Middle East after Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip attacked Israeli territory, killing many Israelis living in the settlements near the border and abducting more than 200 people, including children, women and the elderly. Hamas views its attack as a response to Israeli authorities’ steps against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and launched bombardments of the enclave and some areas in Lebanon and Syria.