Egypt said a first group of 81 seriously sick or wounded Palestinians would be allowed into Egypt for medical treatment today with television channels close to the Egyptian intelligence services broadcasting live images of a fleet of ambulances entering the terminal, AFP reports.

Palestinian sources said they expected 88 people to be taken across for treatment in Egyptian hospitals.

The decision to open the crossing came hours after an Israeli strike on the largest refugee camp in Gaza, where the health ministry said at least 50 people were killed.

Egypt on Tuesday condemned the strike on Jabalia camp “in the strongest terms”, warning against “the consequences of the continuation of these indiscriminate attacks that target defenceless civilians” in a foreign ministry statement.