Nearly 1,000 Americans and family members still possibly waiting to leave Gaza: State Department
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Tuesday that just under 1,000 Americans and their family members may be waiting to leave Gaza, as hundreds have left so far through the Rafah border crossing.
"There are now over 600 American citizens and lawful permanent residents and their family members who have departed Gaza through Rafah gate," Miller said during a briefing. "There are a little under 1,000 that we know of that are left now whose departure we hope to facilitate over the coming days should they wish to depart."
The number of eligible individuals who may be looking to leave the enclave is higher than previously anticipated, based on previous State Department figures. Before the Rafah gate opened to outbound traffic, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said some 400 Americans and roughly 600 of their eligible family members were in contact with the department about leaving Gaza.
-ABC News' Shannon K. Crawford