The 31 Austrians – most of whom have dual nationality – who were evacuated from the Gaza Strip on Wednesday have arrived safely in Cairo. As the Foreign Ministry announced, they spent the night in temporary accommodation on Thursday and were received by staff from the Austrian embassy in the Egyptian capital. Everyone is safe and sound.
The evacuees also include children and two doctors who worked medically in the Gaza Strip. The doctors had already contacted their facilities. A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs assured that efforts are currently being made to organize the onward travel of almost three dozen people.
7,000 foreigners want to flee
According to Egypt, about 7,000 foreigners from 60 countries are waiting in the Gaza Strip to leave the country. It is still unclear whether these were only foreigners or Palestinians with a second passport. It is also unclear whether there are any other foreigners in the Gaza Strip who do not want to leave. Authorities did not say how long the foreigners had to leave the country or whether there had been an agreement to open the Rafah crossing.
Schallenberg thanked “Egyptian and Israeli partners”
On Wednesday, hundreds of foreigners and Palestinians with second passports left the closed coastal area for the first time since the start of the Gaza war. “In recent weeks, diplomatic channels have been busy lobbying partners in the region to open the Rafah border crossing,” said Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP). He would like to thank “the Egyptian and Israeli partners for making the departure possible,” as well as his employees in Ramallah, Tel Aviv and Cairo.
There are still a handful of Austrians and their relatives who want to leave the country. “We will continue to do everything we can to enable them to leave the country quickly and, above all, safely,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
