The Minister of Foreign Affairs, João Gomes Cravinho, stated this Wednesday that the bombings in the Gaza Strip killed three Portuguese-Palestinians.
“The Portuguese Government deeply regrets the death of three national citizens following an attack that occurred today [quarta-feira] in the south of Gaza,” states the press office of the Ministry of Gomes Cravinho, in a statement sent to the editors.
On the sidelines of his visit to Guinea-Bissau, the government official stated that “one adult and two children” of Portuguese nationality had died and stated that he had conveyed “disgust over these deaths” on behalf of Portugal to his Israeli colleague. Gomes Cravinho points out that these citizens, who had already requested help to leave Gaza, were waiting for authorization.
In total, five people died. The other two were relatives of Portuguese Palestinians.
Also this Thursday, the withdrawal of “ten citizens flagged by Portugal” is scheduled, two of whom are Portuguese-Palestinian. The authorization was given by the Egyptian authorities, in collaboration with the Israeli authorities.
“The exit should take place, under the coordination of local authorities, through the Rafah crossing, in the next few hours, which will be open for the evacuation of foreign citizens from Gaza to Egypt,” the note reads.
The Portuguese embassies in Cairo and Tel Aviv are in contact with this group of citizens, as well as the Portuguese diplomatic representation in Ramallah and the Emergency Consular Office in Lisbon, to guarantee their “safe” exit.
“What the Israeli minister told me today [quarta-feira] is that tomorrow [quinta-feira] will leave,” reveals Gomes Cravinho, who adds that there has been permanent contact with the Egyptian and Israeli authorities.
The repatriation of these citizens “will be borne by the Portuguese State, guaranteeing accommodation and transportation to national territory.”
For João Gomes Cravinho, “pause, ceasefire, truce, it doesn’t matter” what it is called, “as long as the result is the cessation of the bombings that are causing civilian casualties.”
News updated at 2:16 am
Source: TSF
