Brazilians are once again left off the list of foreigners who will leave Gaza

The 34 Brazilians and direct relatives awaiting authorization to leave the Gaza Strip were once again left off the sixth list of foreigners released in the early hours of this Wednesday (8). The frustration has been going on for more than a week, even with the logistical structure ready to take them to the Egyptian airport that will be used for the repatriation operation.

According to the Brazilian ambassador to the West Bank, Alessandro Candeas, the new wave of foreigners authorized by the governments of Israel and Egypt are from Ukraine (228 people), Philippines (107), United States (100), Germany (75), Romania (51 ) and Canada (40).

The announcement of the sixth list frustrated the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, which expected the release for this Wednesday (8), and for the citizens themselves who continue to wait in the cities of Khan Younes and Rafah, in the south of Gaza. Trader Hasan Rabee, who has been one of the group’s main spokespeople to the Brazilian media, even posted an optimistic message on social media predicting their departure from the territory.

“Good evening, it could happen tomorrow [quarta, 8]”, said Rabee in a post with an image of the presidential plane that will repatriate Brazilians and direct relatives, and which is stopped at Cairo airport waiting to leave.

Since the beginning of authorization for the departure of foreigners, around 4,100 people have left Gaza via the border with Egypt – however, no Brazilians have been granted access despite successive appeals from Minister Mauro Vieira, of Foreign Affairs; Ambassador Celso Amorim, presidential advisor for international affairs; and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) himself, who has spoken frequently with heads of state.

This Wednesday (8), Lula will have a meeting with Vieira to outline new strategies for rescuing citizens in Gaza.

Last week, Mauro Vieira said he received a guarantee from Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen that Brazilians would leave Gaza by this Wednesday (8). “I had a telephone conversation with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel, Eli Cohen, and he gave me guarantees that by Wednesday all Brazilians who are in Gaza will be able to leave through the Rafah crossing,” he said at the time.

Last Monday (6), Amorim questioned what criteria are being used by the Israeli government to allow foreigners to leave the conflict-torn territory. “There was no explanation for the non-inclusion of Brazilians. They simply gave priority to other countries,” he said.

After the three lists released this week, Itamaraty is working on the possibility of Brazilians leaving by next weekend.