Govt thanks Egypt as South Africans head home from Gaza

Government has thanked Egyptian authorities for granting evacuated foreigners including 19 South Africans a safe passage from Gaza through the Rafah Crossing into Egypt.

The South Africans who had been stuck in Gaza since 7 October were approved for evacuation into Egypt by the Israeli authorities on Sunday.

South Africans

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) said the evacuated South Africans, which include six males and 13 females, have arrived safely in Cairo and are en route to South Africa.

“South Africa extends its gratitude to the government of Egypt for granting the evacuated foreign nationals safe passage through the Rafah Crossing into its country.

“The Israeli government has indicated that it intends to extend its attack on the people of Gaza. The statements from Israeli leaders appear impervious to the global calls for an immediate end to the killing of Palestinian civilians,” said Dirco.

South Africa has called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and the resumption of talks that will end the violence arising from the “continued belligerent occupation and lays the basis for a just and lasting solution.”

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“Hellish scenario”

Meanwhile, United Nations (UN) coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territories Lynn Hastings has warned of “an even more hellish scenario” looms in Gaza in which humanitarian aid simply grinds to a halt.

The warning from Hastings comes after what’s been described as Israel’s heaviest air, land, and sea bombardments of Gaza in the last few days that have killed at least 349 Palestinians and injured more than 750.

“The conditions required to deliver aid to the people of Gaza do not exist,” she said.

The UN office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has also said tens of thousands of Palestinians fleeing Khan Younis for Rafah, near the border with Egypt, have no where to stay and are camping in the streets and other outdoor areas where they erect tents and makeshift shelters.

Gaza in need

Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general António Guterres said colleagues at Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned that the current situation does not allow them to address the people’s needs in Gaza.

Israel’s expanded its assault on Gaza which it said was meant to kill members of Hamas, but thousands of innocent women and children are among the more than 15 000 Palestinians who have been killed in almost two months of attacks.  

Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October killing 1 200 people, according to Israeli authorities.

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