Brazilian Ambassador to Egypt reported that border control point is blocked and makes evacuation operations “exceptionally complex”
One of the points on the escape route negotiated by Brazil with Egypt to repatriate Brazilians in the Gaza Strip has already been bombed 3 times since the start of the war between Hamas and Israel, according to the Brazilian ambassador to Egypt, Paulino Franco de Carvalho Neto.
The country controls one of the 3 land crossings to leave Palestinian territory. As the ambassador stated in an interview with TV Brasilthe lack of safety guarantees makes transport operations “exceptionally complex, not to say dramatic”.
He explains that the exit route passes through the city of Rafah, in the extreme south of Gaza. The place borders Sinai, Egypt. The border, however, is blocked after at least 3 bombings hit the checkpoint on the Palestinian side. “There is no way to pass for now”said Neto.
In a statement, Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied that there was a blockade at the crossing, despite confirming the attacks at the checkpoint. An Egyptian soldier explained to Sky News Arabia, however, the lack of structure and staff at the bombed site prevents the checkpoint from functioning and, as a result, crossing operations were interrupted.
According to the ambassador, the Brazilian government negotiates the repatriation of 22 Brazilians who requested to leave the region. On the afternoon of this Thursday (Oct 12), a plane with capacity for 40 people took off from Brasília heading to Rome, Italy, where he will await authorization from Egypt to repatriate the group.
The aircraft, the 6th used in Operation Returning to Peace, is a VC-2 (Embraer 190) for exclusive use by the Presidency of the Republic. Since Tuesday (Oct 10), 494 people have left Israeli territory on FAB (Brazilian Air Force) flights.
Also on this Thursday, the president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) said he had spoken by telephone with the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, and requested the creation of a humanitarian corridor in the Gaza Strip to facilitate the evacuation of people from conflict zones.
The region, surrounded by Israel, has been deprived of water, energy and fuel as a form of pressure from the Israeli government for release of kidnapped hostages by Hamas during the incursion into Israeli territory on Saturday (7.Oct). There are around 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza.
President of the UN Security Council during the month of October, Brazil called an emergency meeting to discuss the conflict on Friday (13.Oct). The country will be represented by Chancellor Mauro Vieira and must negotiate the creation of the humanitarian corridor, also requested by other countries with citizens under siege in the Palestinian region.
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