Efforts to repatriate Brazilians in Israel, Palestine begin
The first of the six planes that the Brazilian government has mobilized to repatriate Brazilian citizens trying to leave Palestine or Israel due to the conflict that began at the weekend is already in Rome, Italy.
An Airbus with capacity for 230 passengers landed in the Italian capital at the early hours of Monday morning (Oct. 9) after a nine-hour flight from Natal, capital of Rio Grande do Norte state.
The Brazilian Air Force expects the plane to fly from Italy to Tel Aviv, Israel, by Tuesday (10), in order to take on board the first group of Brazilians ready to return to Brazil.
A second KC-30 and two KC-390s (each with a capacity for 80 passengers) as well as two aircraft from the president’s office (each with a capacity for 40) are prepared to take part in the repatriation of the Brazilians.
Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Relations estimates that at least 30 Brazilians live in the Gaza Strip and another 60 in Ashkelon and other locations in the conflict zone. In Israel, the Brazilian embassy had already gathered information on around a thousand Brazilians staying in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem interested in returning to Brazil by Sunday. The majority are tourists staying in Israel.
In recent years, the Armed Forces have carried out four repatriation operations by air and land in Turkey, Ukraine, China, and Bolivia, with five aircraft and 30 vehicles, which have resulted in the rescue of some 6,600 people, including Brazilians and foreigners.