Foreign Minister João Gomes Cravinho announced on Tuesday that “six citizens of Portuguese nationality” are still being held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In this sense, he says that the government is in contact with entities on the ground “so that they can be released.”
“We still have six citizens of Portuguese nationality held hostage by Hamas,” the minister revealed, adding that authorities who can assist in their release have already been contacted by the Portuguese government.
“We have already reported this to the Red Cross and also to entities both in Israel and Egypt and Qatar is also aware. We are working to ensure that they are released,” the minister said, hoping that the withdrawal of these six Portuguese from Gaza will be successful.
“We have already had one hostage removed – there were seven – a lady, Adina Moshe, a citizen living in Portugal who was released on the first day,” João Gomes Cravinho recalled, expressing the hope that the temporary ceasefire would be possible. continue in the coming days and may there be the release of more and more hostages and, of course, the release of the Portuguese.”
In the European Union, “the expectations of all Member States are that this situation, which is currently temporary and which we call a ceasefire, – others prefer other terms such as a ceasefire – will be extended,” he said.
“I believe that it is more important than getting lost in semantic debates, precisely creating conditions so that there are no more bombings, no more hostilities and a process of dialogue is created,” emphasized the minister who spoke on the sidelines of the meeting. at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
Source: DN
