Brazilians set to leave Gaza Monday (16), says ambassador to West Bank

Brazil's ambassador to the West Bank, Alessandro Candeas, stated on Sunday (Oct. 15) that he anticipates the Brazilians awaiting repatriation in the Gaza Strip will be able to cross the border into Egypt near the city of Rafah on Monday (16). According to him, the embassy received reports from Brazilians in Gaza suggesting that there were "rumors circulating" about the border opening on Monday. This information was subsequently verified through another source.

The group consists of 22 Brazilians and six Palestinians residing in Brazil, still taking shelter in Rafah and Khan Yunis in southern Gaza while awaiting authorization to cross the border.

Ambassador Candeas explained that their departure hinges on the opening of the border into Egypt and the necessary passport stamping by immigration authorities. "At the political level, everything has already been done. It's only necessary that, once the border is opened, the official there authorizes entry based on the list. We hope this will happen tomorrow (16), that's our expectation," said Candeas.

Upon successfully crossing into Egypt, the group will be flown to Brazil on the Brazilian presidential VC-2 plane, which can accommodate up to 40 passengers. Five previous repatriation flights have already been conducted to bring Brazilians and their families back from Israel.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira have been negotiating the border's reopening to rescue the group since last week, with discussions held over phone calls between Lula and Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Egyptian President Abdul Fatah al-Sisi, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Border reopening

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Sunday (15) that the border crossing controlled by Egypt in the Gaza Strip will be reopened. The United States is collaborating with Egypt, Israel, and the United Nations (UN) to facilitate the distribution of humanitarian aid to the region.

Hundreds of tons of aid from various countries have been waiting in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula for days. An agreement is still pending for the safe delivery of this aid to Gaza and the evacuation of foreign nationals through the Rafah border crossing. Egypt has intensified its diplomatic efforts to resolve the impasse.

"We are establishing, with the UN, Egypt, Israel, and others, the mechanism by which we will receive the aid and how it will reach those in need," Blinken informed reporters in Cairo, following what he described as a "very productive conversation" with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

*With information from Reuters.