Three thousand Brazilians asked for ransom from Lebanon after the start of the Israeli offensive

More than three thousand Brazilians have already asked the government to be rescued from Lebanon since the Israeli army began an offensive against the extremist group Hezbollah. According to information confirmed by sources People’s Gazette This Tuesday (1st), requests were made to the country’s embassy in Beirut in recent weeks and are being organized so that the repatriation operation can be carried out in the coming days.

The operation was already authorized by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) on Monday (30) and is being planned with the coordination of the Ministry of Defense, in preparation and logistics meetings that even involve the Lebanese and Israeli governments themselves.

According to sources informed to the report, Itamaraty is still working on the possibility of as many Brazilians as possible leaving Lebanon by other means – on commercial flights – to help with the repatriation of those who are unable to do so. Beirut airport, he said, remains open and operating normally.

Preliminary information indicates that requests are mainly from Brazilians who live in the Bekaa Valley region and the Lebanese capital. The expectation is that the first repatriation flight will take place over the weekend.

The decision for the operation occurs due to the escalation of the conflict between Israel and the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, and is expected to be even greater than the one carried out in Gaza last year.

On September 20, the conflict intensified after the simultaneous explosion of thousands of communication devices belonging to Hezbollah members. According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health, more than a thousand people have been killed and six thousand injured in the last two weeks.

Two Brazilian teenagers died amid Israeli bombings in Lebanon: Mirna Raef Nasser, aged 16, was from Balneário Camboriú (SC), and Ali Kamal Abdallah, aged 15, from Foz do Iguaçu (PR). Itamaraty estimates that 21 thousand Brazilians live in Lebanon.

The government said the Brazilian Air Force’s (FAB) initial plan envisages takeoff from Beirut airport, which remains open. “The Embassy in Lebanon is taking the necessary measures to make the operation viable, in permanent contact with the Brazilian community and in close coordination with local authorities,” stated Itamaraty.

Last week, the Brazilian government condemned “in the strongest terms” the air strikes launched by Israel against Lebanon. Furthermore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommended that Brazilians leave the conflict area.