São Paulo – President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva received this Monday (13) evening at the Brasília Air Base a group of Brazilians who were in the Gaza Strip in Palestine and were repatriated in an effort by the Brazilian government and diplomacy. A group of 32 people – 17 children, nine women, and six men; 22 Brazilians and 10 Palestinian family members – were brought to Brazil on the “VC2,” an Embraer E190 presidential aircraft from the Brazilian Air Force (FAB).
The government called the initiative “Operation Returning in Peace.” After waiting several days for authorization to leave Gaza via the Palestine border with Egypt, in Rafah, the Brazilians had their passage cleared on Sunday (12). They were able to board for Brazil on Egyptian soil on Monday (13). In addition to Lula (pictured above), they were received by a delegation of ministers and members of the federal government’s reception committee.
“Today is a day of joy for Brazil. The arrival of this tenth plane is the culmination of a very serious work that we owe to many people,” said the president, referring to diplomats, ministers, the FAB, and political articulation to guarantee support to the Brazilians, according to a press release by the President’s Office. Lula said the government would do everything possible to bring the family members of Brazilians who want to leave Gaza.
The minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, Mauro Vieira, said that the joint work will now continue with the representative office in Ramallah and embassies in Tel Aviv and Cairo to locate other Brazilians who are in the region and want to return to the country. Vieira said it will continue with the country’s efforts at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to find a diplomatic resolution to create a humanitarian corridor and pauses in the conflict.
According to figures released by the Brazilian President’s Office, since the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East, the government has already rescued 1,477 people and 53 domestic animals from the region, including repatriates from Palestine and Israel. Around 150 military personnel and 37 health professionals were involved in the logistics of the operation.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
